I was talking with a friend recently about when we think our daughters will get their first phone. They’re in 4th grade, and some of their friends already have them. The conversation quickly veered into “when we’ll have to, because their friends do” instead of “what’s best for our kids’ development and mental health.” Most parents would probably agree: less phone time is better. Yet here we are, nudged toward decisions by the pressure of what everyone else is doing.

The tether begins to loosen as I ascend the steps into my sanctuary, locking my algorithm god into its timeout box. Sliding noise canceling headphones onto my head eliminates the torrential audio stream of life pouring into my canals. It’s quiet. Instinctively, my body unlocks the deepest inhalation of the day. My brain releases serotonin, gently signaling my muscles that it's now safe to loosen their grip on the guardrails they’ve grown so accustomed to clinging to. Life’s neon sign hums somewhere behind me as I turn the first corner of the indoor track—its buzz already beginning to fade.

At its core our attention, (how we choose to focus our energy) derives from our five senses: Sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. We process these things in what can be described as a neurological miracle. Our brains fire off messages and release hormones in milliseconds as part of an organic ballet with body, thus permitting the reliable biological responses that mold our day-to-day actions. Responses so reliable that they helped our ancestors overcome the obstacles necessary for our collective existence.