How to make space in a world with too much technology | Daniel Sih | TEDxHobart

How we need space from the online world to think deeply, rest fully, and reconnect with people in our lives, and this requires a new set of productivity skills and practices.

Daniel Sih is a productivity expert, award-winning author and CEO of Spacemakers, a productivity consulting group in Australia and Canada.
His first book, "Spacemaker" won six international awards, including the Axiom Business Book Award (USA) in 2023 for Work-Life Balance and Time Prioritization, and an Australian Business Book Award in 2021. His newest best-selling book, “Raising Tech-Healthy Humans,” is a practical guidebook to help parents reset their children’s tech- and life habits.

[ManicBrainpoint]

"Space to connect with nature." This stood out. I'd like to be able to incorporate nature in my daily routine.

[kakakakanananana]

Never realized how much mental energy I spend on tech until he pointed it out. No wonder I'm always exhausted by the end of the day.

[ByteMayhem]

This is the talk I needed to go back to waking up at 5 am and spending the first 30mins of my day meditating in silence.

[noaholiverauthentic]

When you feel tired or want to take a break, if you just keep going you'll have about 15mins where your not running at 100%, but after that you'll get you'll get back into the zone.

[danabailey]

That moment of silence in the talk was powerful. Can't remember the last time I just sat and thought without reaching for my phone.

[suonituo]

I used to "lose my phone" for weeks on end because I loved no one being able to reach me unless I really wanted them to. This was before social media really took off and we all become so reliant on them to distract us from our actual lives.

[andididntknow]

Yeah keeping your phone in a different room while you sleep is solid advice. I used to sleep with my phone literally next to my head for years and I swear I'd wake up with a headache more often than not. Could be a coincidence but I don't know!

[TheyCallMeYellowGello]

Starting each and ending each day without our phones sounds like an easy way to improve in this area without loosing anything I'm doing

[mannylestrada]

Totally agree, digital overload is exhausting. I've been setting aside tech-free blocks of time and it's been refreshing.

[miraramona]

Never considered how being online might be changing my brain. I played guitar so I really got the piano story.

[randomthought]

Making space for real life sounds so simple yet so difficult in today’s world. It feels like we're robbed of everything... time, space, connection, nature... all of our opportunities to enjoy those things are being taken from us

[sorinareina]

The concept of the "productive Middle" is intriguing. More tech doesn't always mean more output. It's about finding that sweet spot.

[desivaldez]

As a teacher, I see this with my students every day. Wish this was part of our curriculum somehow.

[jsisjajja]

This talk made me nostalgic for pre-smartphone days! Just popping in on people in the same neighborhood or even sending letters to friends and family interstate, how happy it'd make you when you got a letter back. It's like it doesn't mean as much anymore because it's instant and effortless

[pat-j-d]

This whole conversation reminds me of that quote "almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you”

[ninamenes]

The moment he gave us silence a YouTube ad destroyed what would've been a beautiful moment. Great talk though!

[helenimnotready]

"we need space to think about who we are and our inner life" - ok that hit deep. not sure of the last time I gave myself permission to just...be

[shaquille.oatmeal]

Gotta appreciate the reminder to enjoy life beyond screens. The more time goes on the more normalized it's going to become for us to spend all our time in front of one

[pierremartinetto]

This talk made me reflect on the importance of space in our lives. It's not just about technology; it's about embracing our humanity and savoring life's real moments.

[silversurferdude]

Some really valid points about what we can fit in that glass lol and also so much of the online activity is isolating!! It might feel like we're connected or connecting, which is important because we are social creatures, but it's not real! You can't hug a screen. You can't hear a meme laughing with you... you can't properly comfort someone through messenger. It's all just a watered down version of what life really is.