How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice

Not long ago, I published a splashy op-ed for the New York Times. It was titled, There's a Good Reason Why You Can't Concentrate. Now it argues that technology is rapidly diminishing our ability to think and that this is a major problem for both the individual as well as the success of our society more broadly. In it, I propose that the solution is a revolution in cognitive fitness, not unlike the physical fitness revolution that emerged in the second half of the 20th century.

Here's how I conclude the piece. I write, My intention is to spur a shift in understanding that can build into a larger revolution. I'm done seeding my brain, the core of all that makes me who I am, to the financial interest of a small number of technology billionaires or the short-sighted conveniences of hyperactive communication styles. It's time to move past fretting about our slide into the cognitive shallows and decide to actually do something about it. Now this essay's made the rounds and I'm proud of it, but there's one question that I've been asked more than any other by people who read it.

How do I become more cognitively fit? I gave a few ideas in the essay, but people want a more systematic brain fitness routine, a sustainable way to push back against the digital forces trying to make us dumber. Well, it's Monday, which means it's time for a Monday advised episode of this show, which seems like the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into this question. All right, so here's the plan. In the weeks since this piece has come out, I've refined my cognitive fitness program into five different components, and I'm going to go through each of these.

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