Are We Too Connected? Knowing When to Turn Off Your Phone

Being connected is a great thing. We can talk, chat, and text anytime we want. The problem is that we may actually be a little too connected and we may need to learn how to put down our phones. Just like some sci fi movie we can Google just about anything and can do almost anything from the little black box in our hands.

I'm an advocate of technology but I am also an advocate of the natural ability of people to do things without technology. One skill is innate from our souls and the other is artificial from the ability of our gadgets.

Sometimes we have to disconnect to create appropriate boundaries between our personal lives and our virtual lives. This could be during periods where we are taking care of family business, resting, vacationing, or engaged in some important activity that needs our attention.

The advantage of technology is that we can contact anyone anytime. The disadvantage is that we can also contact anyone anytime and this means we need to just back away for a while.

It doesn't need to be long. An hour, a day, or whatever time frame you need to accomplish an important task. Don't be afraid that you are missing something as all your text and emails will be there when you get back. Take some time for yourself.

How Art Leads to Scientific Discovery and Business Success

Intelligence takes many forms that include the ability to find new and novel pieces of information that form market leading products and services. As a form of intelligence, abstract thinking leads us to use a large working memory to think about ideas and forms that don't exist in our real world in much the same way as Einstein imagined riding a moonbeam. Practicing art can lead to higher abstract abilities that helps science and business.

Artistic ability is associated with intelligence, abstract reasoning and scientific thinking (Galenson & Pope, 2013). As we get older our abstract abilities lesson and our brains less willing to explore new ideas. In genius, the brain maintains its mental pliability that leads to mental play and scientific discovery.

The type of art one enjoys lends itself to certain personalities that are more likely to discover new ideas. People who like abstract art are open-minded, novel, sensation seeking, independent in thought and exploratory in nature (Gridley, 2013). Those more focused on the rules were less novel seeking.

Abstract abilities and an open-minded personality lead people to explore new ideas and break convention. That is the process of scientific discovery and invention. What must step outside the norms of what society knows, find something that doesn't match, and explore it. With some scientific training and knowledge they can uncover an unknown truth.

Art is a conduit that helps one explore their subconscious and the creative abilities. It helps make new neural connections that lead to new ways of thinking. The process of using art as a way of training the mind to look for the novel can lead to successful business strategies that leads markets. Beating the competition requires thinking about the possibilities and bringing new products and ideas forward.

Galenson, D. & Pople, C. (2013). Experimental and conceptual innovators in the sciences: the cases of Darwin and Einstein. Historical Methods, 46 (2).

Gridley, M. (2013). Preference for abstract art according to thinking styles and personality. North American Journal of Psychology, 15 (3). 

Poem and Art: The Water's Edge

Somewhere over a hill is the waters edge.
It is quiet there, a place where you can sit on the shore.

The water runs deep and whisks away the debris.
The trees do not block the view.

Clear site beyond the field and to the hill.
It is slow rolling and gentle.

A place where the livestock graze and the dogs bark.
Children play ball and the birds lay.

A Statement of Values-Spending More on Prison than College

According to a report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences shows that some (11 in total) spent more on prisons than they did on public universities. Is this a budget issues or a statement of values? When society seeks to focus more on prisons than opportunity the very foundations of our value system should be questioned.

You can tell a lot about a person by where they spend their money. We have learned through the advent of online advertisement that people's spending habits tells us much about what they find is important, how they view themselves, and where their hopes lay.

The same can be said for the choice of spending on prisons over higher education. We are able to squeeze through big prison budgets but are unable to do so for more worthy causes. In general, higher education takes third place behind public schools and medicaid. In some states, prisons beat out higher education for funding. Does this make sense?

The biggest problem is that corrections is a deep dark hole that we throw people who have violated laws. They are not generally "corrected" by attended and in some cases could even get worse by learning new skills; the college of criminals.

Corrections is necessary but should be more focused on the less expensive proposition of correcting and rehabilitating. It should not supersede our hopes and dreams of developing a country that has people who are open minded, educated, and capable of competing.

Thinking about where we are spending money, the return on investment of that money, and the alternatives of that money reflects our values. I am for spending money on things that create a return on investment; or at least the potential for a return. Higher education does have a return, children's education has a return, a new road has a return, but a prison is all cost.  In some cases, It may be a necessary cost, but it should not be a value statement of what we believe.

The need for reform has been brewing for years. Is our checkbook telling us we are there?

Helping Veterans Integrate into College

Veterans are honored members of our society with their willingness to put their lives at risk so that the rest of us can live our lives in aversion to our greater responsibilities. Some Veterans have difficulty adjusting to college because of the wide ranging difference between an institutionalized life and a free society without the strength of rules to guide them.

With a little support through veterans associations and understanding the chances of social reintegration back into civilian society goes upwards. The transition period takes some time and effort but is well worth the cost of keeping veterans on a straight track.

An exploratory study veterans transitioning from active duty to college life shows that the ease of transition is a result of the perception of their personal strengths that include self-discipline, social interactions, and student-veteran programs (Olsen, Badger, & McCuddy, 2014).

Veterans have a hard time jumping from an all inclusive world to one in which they are free to explore what eany path they choose. Sometimes veterans can do well at this transition and other times they suffer from a lack of support and social integration with non-veterans.

The process of transitioning can be made easier with support groups and general understanding of faculty that don't quite understand how different the two worlds are. The time it takes to reintegrate may be up to a year but can do wonders in getting people situated in new lives that don't revolve around codes and rules.  Once they internalize their sense of control they will approach their work and engagement differently.

Olsen, T, Badger, K. & McCuddy, M. (2014). Understanding student veteran's college experience: an exploratory study. U.S. Army Medical Department Journal.

The Political Contribution of Small Business

Small business is a major contributor to our society much more than its financial contributions. It also seeks to develop and create a sense of political capital through the constant pursuit of better neighborhoods and business friendly environments. Town hall meetings are full of interested small business owners seeking to get their voices heard.

When developing policy we often seek out the voices of large contributors and corporations that influence our governments. Almost no city, state, or national economy is immune to the pressures of large interests that employ people and add to the tax base.

Small business is generally ignored unless they get very active in through collective action. Yet it is these small businesses that look after neighborhoods, clean up the trash, focus on engaging local customers, and create a sense of community.

They contribute not through the large political donations but through their subtle ways of connecting with their customers and swaying opinions. They may be ignored in big politics but their active voice is making its way through the backyards of middle America. Without their social and political contribution America wouldn't have the same founding principles.

Fitness and Performance

Fitness isn't just about getting in shape and shedding pounds. It is also about ensuring you have strong performance even when not in your running shoes. Your brain works better when your at peak physical performance.

Stress is a major distraction that impacts processing of information and the ability of retaining information. When you work out your body relaxes by removing stress and allows you to concentrate.

Rigorous fitness improves energy and oxygen flow that increases brain function. An active brain needs access to the right nutrients to perform at its optimal level.

A regular exercise routine will help you sleep better at night and clear your brain of unresolved conflicts leaving excess cognitive capacity for other things. Starting with a clear brain each days can do wonders for your focus.

Getting in shape will raise your self confidence. People who are in shape look good, have an extra step and have a confidence level that helps them feel like they can  succeed.