Recently, the New York Times had an interesting article entitled Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime. One study cited in the article suggested that people learned significantly better after a walk in nature. It is speculated that the human brain uses the downtime to take in and process new information. As someone who enjoys walking and hiking this is no surprise to me.
What I found fascinating is that the electronic gaming industry is now designing video and "apps" to fill what it refers to as "micro-moments"–those short periods of time when you feel like you're just wasting your time (i.e. waiting at a bus stop; standing in line at the airport, exercising at the health club, etc.).
As someone who despises these little nuisances of modern life, I understand and even appreciate how game designers are helping us make more productive use of our time. The problem occurs when our iPhones and Blackberries–which carry these games and apps–follow us into other parts of our lives. They may well be depriving you of the ability to take in and process new information.
The solution? Create macro-moments. Take long periods of time to walk and explore nature–unplugged and untethered from the tools of modern day life. What you discover about the world around you–and inside you–will surprise you.
