Wednesday, August 16, 2023

by Emilyn Linden

I find myself endlessly scrolling through the same news sites, social feeds and online stores some days and have a hard time making myself stop. I know I’m not alone in this…vice? obsession? hijacking?

So every once in a while I pick up a book about how to take a break from my phone and computer and pay more attention to the world around me. It gets me out of my rut for a while until I have to do it all over again. Sometimes I pick up something that’s more of a self-hope book, sometimes it’s about mindfulness and sometimes it’s about nature and connecting with the natural world.

If you also need a reminder to put your phone down some days, maybe some of these books will help you, too.

 In emergency, break glass: what Nietzsche can teach us about joyful living in a tech-saturated world by Nate Anderson

 The stars in our pockets: getting lost and sometimes found in the digital age by Howard Axelrod

 Hyperfocus: how to be more productive in a world of distraction by Chris Bailey

 Missing each other: how to cultivate meaningful connections by Edward Brodkin

 Four thousand weeks: time management for mortals by Oliver Burkeman

 Friluftsliv: connect with nature, the Norwegian way by Oliver Delorie

 Focus: the hidden driver of excellence by Daniel Goleman

 The enchanted hour: the miraculous power of reading aloud in the age of distraction by Meghan Gurdon

 Stolen focus: why you can't pay attention--and how to think deeply again by Johann Hari

 Digital madness: how social media is driving our mental health crisis--and how to restore our sanity by Nicholas Kardaras

 Attention hijacked: using mindfulness to reclaim your brain from tech by Erica Marcus

 Wintering: the power of rest and retreat in difficult times by Katherine May

 Digital minimalism: choosing a focused life in a noisy world by Cal Newport

 How to do nothing: resisting the attention economy by Jenny Odell

 Untangled: walking the Eightfold Path to clarity, courage, and compassion by Koshin Paley Ellison

 The Internet is not what you think it is: a history, a philosophy, a warning by Justin Smith

 Forest walking: discovering the trees and woodlands of North America by Peter Wohlleben

Emilyn Linden is a librarian in the FDL Public Library Information and Outreach Services department.