For years leading up to the last century, we have lived in constraints by any modern standard. Simple things like talking to our distant friends used to be a slow process, taking days for a letter to travel. Even the word “news” must have been a paradox in those times because, by the time you got it, it would already be old.

In contrast, today we live as if we have a window to the world in our hands. A window from which we can talk to anyone, anytime, peek into others’ lives, broadcast our own life, and see news from places thousands of miles away. All thanks to phone and internet.

In the 18th century, French Philosopher Voltaire said something that our 21st-century monkey-self needs to understand: “With great power comes great responsibility.” When we have the power of this window to the world, we must act responsibly. No one ever leaves a window open all the time, especially when there are insects, hailstorms, or dust & pollution outside. But this is exactly what the monkey within us does, leaving the window always open, inviting all kinds of noise into our brain.

The situation gets worse when our negativity bias meets the chaos of the world, and before you know it, you are already worried about the news from a place that you did not even know existed earlier. Over time, picking more negatives than positives, the present moment loses its beauty and things go dull. This is one of the reasons why we are on the current mission.

As you practice putting your phone away while working or resting, there will be times when you will falter. Sometimes you will have to make an exception, the other times you may feel lazy, or just forget about it. It is normal, and there is no need to feel bad about occasional misses. What matters is how quickly you switch back to your new habit.

Sticking to your habit depends the most on remembering why you started it. In this Kompass, we urge you to take out time and reflect upon how things are improving as you are defining your boundaries while working or resting. Not only should you see greater clarity and productivity, but also a boost in peace of mind.

Stay strong! See you soon 😊