When you’re a tech startup CEO (Medium.com) and a co-founder of Twitter, people assume you’re (1) addicted to the internet (2) work constantly and don’t sleep, and (3) overshare, writes Ev Williams in Thrive Global, the new venture of Arianna Huffington. (Thrive Global’s “Journal” runs on the Medium.com platform.)
Williams admits, “Most of those things used to be true for me,” but explains how he’s changed over the years and now has found three practices for harnessing technology without letting it harness you:
Mindfulness meditation
Williams spends 20 minutes of sitting or walking each day which he says keeps him “relatively grounded amid everyday anxieties.” Additional benefits include more insights and increased awareness — ”including awareness that you’ve been sitting the computer for hours on end and should maybe go for a walk.”
Weekly schedule
Williams says he’s found that working 24/7 doesn’t produce the best work product or best life experience. He now has a set weekly schedule. “On Monday’s I have dinner with my kids; on Tuesday, I stay at the office late. Wednesday is the all-important date night (no devices allowed). While work and other events demand flexibility from time to time, having a default schedule does wonders to maintain balance and set expectations with those around you.”
Efficient exercise
“Few things have an effect on my energy, happiness, and effectiveness than exercise,” writes Williams. “But I found it very hard to get into a regular routine because it was so time-consuming — even with a gym across the street from my office.” He now exercises at home for about 30 minutes, 3–4 times a week, with minimal equipment. “It feels great,” he says.
Bottomline: Use technology, don’t let it use you
Williams admits that he uses technology to help him practice each of these technology-balancing practices. “But that to me is how you use technology, rather than letting it use you,” he says.
VIA | Thrive Global
Photo: Christopher Michel via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)