Going MADD – Media Addiction and Digital Distraction: Better Detox from Your Inbox – A PSYCHO-Cultural Perspective: Part I

The enthusiastic response to my “Shrink Rapping” ™ at a health fair sparked the writing of  a new “Resiliency Rap” on Going MADD – Media Addiction and Digital Distraction.   Another reason for the inspiration was that my partner, Nurse Bonnie, and I are developing a Media and Digital (MAD) Addiction Speaking/Workshop Program for companies and government agencies, etc.  See blurb/objectives following the two-part Rap.  I think both the Raps and the program are winners.  Enjoy!  Mark
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Going MADD – Media Addiction and Digital Distraction:
Better Detox from Your Inbox – A PSYCHO-Cultural Perspective:  Part I

It’s a multi-media age

With ADD all of the rage.

Instant gratification

Simply one more frustration.

Waiting five seconds…OMG a delay!!!

Knots in the stomach; your hair’s turning gray

Starting to panic; can’t keep BOREDOM at bay.

Only one thing to do:  Start texting away!

Better detox from that inbox
Life can be tough without the “right stuff”
Like when your smartphone
Is never quite smart enough.
Stop comparing yourself to high-tech and text jocks
Better detox from your inbox.


Headsets and smartphones
Grow from every ear
And soon Google glasses
Will make it appear
That early adapters
Have their heads up their asses
But with cutting-edge glasses
Ha, they can look out front and rear.


Better detox from that inbox
Being “all thumbs” once made you a clod.
Today you’re a text-wizard…
You don’t find that odd?
Way past the time for taking stock
Better detox from your inbox.


All night gaming is mind inflaming.
Does it inspire or trip a brain wire?
Net addiction is hardly a fiction:
Quick, damn…need a connection!
A video injection will do me just fine
Who needs to see when you're flying blind.
Sure it’s insane to deaden all pain...but
You never pine for that dopamine line?
Just gotta play, “As the World Columbines!”


Better detox from that Xbox
Always textin and tweetin
All that Candy Crush cheatin
Only feeds junk food thinkin
About online sex, shopping, and stocks
Better detox from your inbox.

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Going MADD – Media Addiction and Digital Distraction:  Better Detox from Your Inbox – It Takes Two to Tangle:  Part II

Conflict with a colleague
Just two cubes away…
Dirty Harry fantasies:
Go ahead…Make my day!
Just blast an e-message
Forget face to face.
The ‘e’ in email
Stands for “escape.”
(By the way, your email makes such a loud whistle
Are you sending a text or an e-missile?)


Better detox from that inbox
When texts always SCREAM – “Right NOW!” attention
Might this just mean a power addiction?
What comes through is a “Little Napoleon”
Who needs to be exiled, some time on the rocks
Better detox from your inbox.


Your “so-called” emergency
Will not be my anxiety.
And who made you
Queen of the sorority?
Just like me, you put on pants and socks.
Might be time for the school of hard knocks
Better detox from your inbox.

Well let me reach closure
Before I break bad
On those always bragging
About their iPad.
Some words to consider
They are pretty rad:
I do not mean to sound unkind…
Keep your iPad; I prefer an I-Mind!


Better detox from that inbox
Any more words would just be a crock.
Will you stand out or be just one of the flock?
Better detox from that game box
Better detox from your inbox.


©  Mark Gorkin  2014
Shrink Rap ™ Productions

stressdoc@aol.com
www.stressdoc/com

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Program Synopsis of Is Your Workplace Going MADD?

It’s a TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Driven and Distracted Brave New World, when “Everything Happens NOW.”  While some see a half-full glass of unprecedented access and data…others perceive rampant “Infomania” – continuous stress and distraction caused by the combination of message overload, incessant interruptions, and “Time Urgency Syndrome.”  Through his Fun-Interactive-Thought-provoking (Get FIT) program, let the Stress Doc help you transform the MAD-ness:  Gain tools for 1) assessing individual/workplace addiction and 2) designing self-monitoring and team building structures and strategies for a stress resilient work environment.

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Is Your Workplace Going MADD?: Stress Resilience, Self-Control, and Strategic Team Building for Mastering Media and Digital Distraction

In a TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Driven and Distracted World, now promising “wearable technology…that keeps us in the moment,” always on takes on ever looming Brave New World dimensions.  When “Everything happens NOW,” is it more a time of breakthroughs or time for a breakdown?  While some see a half-full glass of unprecedented access and data…others perceive rampant “Infomania” – a mental state of continuous stress and distraction caused by the combination of message overload, incessant interruptions, and “Time Urgency Syndrome”.  (Did you know the average knowledge worker is interrupted every three minutes while working on a task?  When having conflict with a customer or colleague, do you tend to send emails or launch e-missiles?  Are you “Practicing Safe Text”?)  Through his Fun-Interactive-Thought-provoking (Get FIT) program, let the Stress Doc help you transform the MAD-ness:  Get FIT with Fun-Interactive-thought-provoking tools and techniques for 1) assessing individual/workplace distraction or addiction and 2) designing self-monitoring and team building structures and strategies for stress resilient employees, teams, and work environment.

Attention spans are shrinking and self-absorbed instant gratification and self-centered entitlement is growing; increasingly, people expect you, 24/7, to immediately reply to their “high priority” texts and emails.  It may be time to ask:

Ø  Is your digital world spinning out of control?  Are you ready to Practice Safe Stress?

Ø  Are work-life boundaries eroding; are you overwhelmed juggling work and personal-family time?  Do you crave or feel pressured to always be on the technological edge?

Ø  Do you know when to multi-task and when to be mindful?  Do you understand why this is a trick question?  Do you engage in restorative downtime?

Ø  Does lack of tech-gadget access evoke intense anxiety and discomfort, impatience and frustration, distraction and impaired concentration?

Ø  Do you keep rechecking your gadgets like some put quarters in one-armed bandits?  Do you need to detox from your inbox and dopamine-driven juicing?

Ø  Is video gaming or electronic shopping hurting your sleep, human touch, and productivity cycles?  Can you distinguish between capacity and usability, novelty and adaptability?

Ø  Does flitting between texts and tweets keep you in a constant/habituated state of high arousal; does downtime leave you feeling empty and edgy?

v  Are you or individuals in your work and social space dealing with MAD (Media and Digital) Addiction?

Is it time for you and your organization to address and redress the ever-growing MAD-ness?

Program Objectives

Have no fear…With their Fun-Interactive-Thought-provoking “hands on” concepts, assessment guides, tools, and lively and relevant small group exercises, “Nurse Bonnie, DNP and the Stress Doc ™, LICSW” are here to help you:
 

1.  Rapidly recognize signs of ‘Infomania,” “junk-food information diet”/empty Internet calories, battlefield burnout, and MAD Addiction

2.  Understand how ‘Workplace ADDD” – Aggressive Dysfunctions-Digital Distractions – adversely impact productivity, morale, team coordination…your “bottom line!”

3.  Recognize parallels between MAD and other common addictions:  eating, drinking, smoking, gambling, drugging, etc.; recognize the dopamine-induced cyclical dangers of rapid responding-revved up reward cues while dismissing the future for the immediate-impulsive NOW

4.  Learn how to grieve and “let go” while exercising emotional-bio-psychosocial-behavioral regulation re: bad habits, compulsions, and addictions; gain face-to-face conflict problem-solving skills and courage; learn to “keep the best and toss the rest”

5.  Create a safe climate for enabling management and employees to problem-solve ways of bridging “High Tech—Human Touch” in the workplace

6.  Develop stress-reducing, team building structures and strategies for reducing and preventing isolation and tech-compulsion; learn to redesign a stress resilient work environment

7.  Grasp the Stress Doc’s Natural SPEED Formula for Stress Resiliency, Brain Agility, and Emotional Integrity.

Seek the higher power of Stress Doc humor:  May the Farce Be with You.

Don’t miss your appointment with “Nurse Bonnie and the Stress Doc!”


Mark Gorkin, the Stress Doc ™, www.stressdoc.com, acclaimed Keynote and Kickoff Speaker, Webinar Presenter, Retreat Leader and Motivational Humorist, is the author of Practice Safe Stress and The Four Faces of Anger. A former Stress & Violence Prevention consultant for the US Postal Service, the Stress Doc leads one-day "Stress Resiliency" workshops for "METRO" Managers and Supervisors of the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA).  "The Doc" is also a Team Building and Organizational Development Consultant as well as a Critical Incident/Grief Intervention Expert for Business Health Services, a National Wellness/EAP/OD Company.  Mark leads highly interactive, innovative, and inspiring programs for corporations and government agencies, including the US Military, on stress and brain resiliency/burnout prevention through humor, change and conflict management, generational communication, and 3 "R" -- Responsible, Resilient & Risk-Taking -- leadership-partnership team building.

Email stressdoc@aol.com for his popular free newsletter & info on speaking programs and phone coaching sessions.  And click https://vimeo.com/69053828 for the Stress Doc's wildly pioneering "Shrink Rap" video.

Inspiring with Passion Power & Mastering Media and Digital (MAD) Addiction

I listen carefully when people respond quickly or intensely to a program idea or suggestion; also when receiving a cluster of exciting feedback regarding a common program medium.  Either the idea or my delivery is “hot” or cutting-edge.

First, two program concepts with blurbs and objectives that are stirring up considerable interest:
1a.  “Wow….You Have Such Great Energy!” – Inspiring Others with Passion Power
While “Passion Power” is a concept first conceived about a decade ago, I’m just now bringing it out of the conceptual-performance closet on a regular basis.  The Four “P”s of Passion Power is my Mind (Cognitive-Affective)-Mood (Gravitas-Comedia) Matrix for becoming a more dynamic and inspiring communicator and leader.  Btw, the “Wow…Energy” title was inspired by the fact that this phrase is what I often hear from folks after one of my presentations.  (And I suspect the implicit message is:  “How can I get more of that energy?”)

(So if you want some of that energy, email stressdoc@aol.com for more info on the “Passion Power” Model or Program.) The below SHRM event and enthusiastic feedback certainly was the “out of the closet” trigger.

Developing Stress Resiliency, Humor, and Passion Power:  The Gift of Interactive Engagement; for Human Resources Palm Beach County (HRPBC), FL; Kickoff Speaker; 100 attendees; 1.25 hrs

Feb 27, 2014

Hello Mark,

HR Palm Beach County had the wonderful pleasure of having Mark Gorkin “The Stress Doc” present at one of our monthly dinner meetings. Mark’s presentation was both insightful and engaging. He has a way of captivating the audience and make them want to hear more. We enjoyed his insights on the factors that cause stress and how to overcome them. We hope to hear more from “The Stress Doc”. It was definitely time well spent. We especially enjoyed his perspective of Passion and Power. Mark Gorkin is a must hear!

Tanya Vaughn-Patterson
HRPBC Program Chair

Diversity & Inclusion Consultant
NEXTERA ENERGY
Ofc: 561-694-4199
tanya.vaughn-patterson@fpl.com
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1b.  Up next for the “Wow….You Have Such Great Energy!” – Inspiring Others with Passion Power is as a workshop for the Greater-DC Area Federally Employed Women’s (FEW) Regional Conference on June 13, 2014 to be held in Silver Spring, MD.  (Email Helen Robinson, robinsonh@mail.nih.gov, for more info.)  And soon thereafter will be a webcam/webinar on “Addiction to Social Media” for The Organization of Legal Professionals/Paralegal Internet Association, www.theolp.org .  (Email Sue Byerly, Administrator, sue.byerly@theolp.org.)

Here’s the FEW/”Wow” Program Blurb and Objectives:

“Wow….You Have Such Great Energy!” – Inspiring Others with Passion Power

As a leader or “high impact” communicator in a TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Driven-Distracted World, there are two critical challenges to professional and personal success:  1) Are you courageously developing and passionately applying your unique and most dynamic combination of energy and experience, strengths and skills? and 2) Are you truly “being heard or are you just making noise?”  With his singular wit and wisdom and by engaging in his FIT – FUN, Interactive, and Thought-provoking – small group exercises, let the Stress Doc provide “head & heart” tools and techniques for Creative Risk-Taking and unleashing and inspiring others with your “Passion Power.”

Objectives

a) gain a critical “conceptual tool” to expand your cognitive (head) and affective (heart) mindset and skillset

b) explore the process of “letting go” and the “Four Action Steps of Creative Risk-Taking”

c) discover the Stress Doc’s acclaimed “Four ‘P’ Model of Passion Power” – being Purposeful-Provocative-Passionate-Playful; bring out your fullest self without being full of yourself,

d) put “Passion Power” into action by confronting your “Intimate FOE” through animated sharing-storytelling and mutual laughter; especially critical for leaders and aspiring trailblazers, and

e) learn the “Secret of Wisdom” and experience the Doc’s pioneering efforts in the field of psychologically humorous rap music.  So…

 

Seek the higher power of Stress Doc humor:  May the Farce Be with You.

Don’t miss your appointment with the Stress Doc!

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2.  Is Your Workplace Going MAD?:  Stress Resilience, Self-Control, and Strategic Team Building for Mastering Media and Digital Addiction

 

An excellent book by Winifred Gallagher, NEW:  Understanding Our Need for Novelty and Change (2012), along with my recent collaboration with addictions specialist, Nurse Bonnie, a sharp and delightful gal, and the constant bombardment of a TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Digitally Driven and Distracted Age helped me see the obvious.  There are consequences when people start growing smartphones out of their ears and are constantly checking email or social media messages or letting video games or e-shopping affect their sleep-awake cycle:   how many need to detox from their inbox?  If, as the Supreme Court ruled, “Corporations are people,” then Media and Digital (MAD) Addiction, then ADDD – Aggressive Dysfunctions-Digital Distractions – are consuming individuals and organizations!  Are you ready to stop the MAD-ness?

 

Program Synopsis

 

It’s a TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Driven & Distracted Brave New World, when “Everything Happens NOW.”  While some see a half-full glass of unprecedented access and data…others perceive rampant “Infomania” – continuous stress and distraction caused by the combination of message overload, incessant interruptions, and “Time Urgency Syndrome”.  Through his Fun-Interactive-Thought-provoking (Get FIT) program, let the Stress Doc and his partner, Bonnie Fanckoviak, DNP, an experienced Addictions Expert with a Doctorate in Nursing, help you transform the MAD-ness:  Gain tools for 1) assessing individual/workplace addiction and 2) designing self-monitoring and team building structures and strategies for a stress resilient work environment.

-------------------------------

 

Is Your Workplace Going MAD?:  Stress Resilience, Self-Control, and Strategic Team Building for Mastering Media and Digital Addiction

 

In a TNT – Time-Numbers-Technology – Driven & Distracted World, now promising “wearable technology…that keeps us in the moment,” always on takes on ever looming Brave New World dimensions.  When “Everything happens NOW,” is it more a time of breakthroughs or time for a breakdown?  While some see a half-full glass of unprecedented access and data…others perceive rampant “Infomania” – a mental state of continuous stress and distraction caused by the combination of message overload, incessant interruptions, and “Time Urgency Syndrome.”  (Did you know the average knowledge worker is interrupted every three minutes while working on a task?  When having conflict with a customer or colleague, do you tend to send emails or launch e-missiles?  Are you “Practicing Safe Text”?)

 

Attention spans are shrinking and self-absorbed instant gratification and self-centered entitlement is growing; increasingly, people expect you, 24/7, to immediately reply to their “high priority” texts and emails.  It may be time to ask: 

Ø  Is your digital world spinning out of control?  Are you ready to Practice Safe Stress?

Ø  Are work-life boundaries eroding; are you overwhelmed juggling work and personal-family time?  Do you crave or feel pressured to always be on the technological edge?

Ø  Do you know when to multi-task and when to be mindful?  Do you understand why this is a trick question?  Do you engage in restorative downtime?

Ø  Does lack of tech-gadget access evoke intense anxiety and discomfort, impatience and frustration, distraction and impaired concentration?

Ø  Do you keep rechecking your gadgets like some put quarters in one-armed bandits?  Do you need to detox from your inbox and dopamine-driven juicing?

Ø  Is video gaming or electronic shopping hurting your sleep, human touch, and productivity cycles?  Can you distinguish between capacity and usability, novelty and adaptability?

Ø  Does flitting between texts and tweets keep you in a constant/habituated state of high arousal; does downtime leave you feeling empty and edgy?

v  Are you or individuals in your work and social space dealing with MAD (Media and Digital) Addiction?

 

Is it time for you and your organization to address and redress the ever-growing MAD-ness?  Have no fear…With their Get FIT – Fun-Interactive-Thought-provoking – “hands on”concepts, assessment guides, tools, and lively and relevant small group exercises, “Nurse Bonnie, DNP and the Stress Doc ™, LICSW” are here to help you:

Program Objectives

 

1.  Rapidly recognize signs of ‘Infomania,” “junk-food information diet”/empty Internet calories, battlefield burnout, and MAD Addiction

 

2.  Understand how ‘Workplace ADDD” – Aggressive Dysfunctions-Digital Distractions – adversely impact productivity, morale, team coordination…your “bottom line!”

 

3.  Recognize parallels between MAD and other common addictions:  eating, drinking, smoking, gambling, drugging, etc.; recognize the dopamine-induced cyclical dangers of rapid responding-revved up reward cues while dismissing the future for the immediate-impulsive NOW

 

4.  Learn how to grieve and “let go” while exercising emotional-bio-psychosocial-behavioral regulation re: bad habits, compulsions, and addictions; outsmart the impulsive NOW; gain face-to-face conflict problem-solving skills and courage; learn to “keep the best and toss the rest”

 

5.  Create a safe climate for enabling management and employees to problem-solve ways of bridging “High Tech—Human Touch” in the workplace

 

6.  Develop stress-reducing, team building structures and strategies for reducing and preventing isolation and tech-compulsion; learn to redesign a stress resilient work environment

 

7.  Grasp the Stress Doc’s Natural SPEED Formula for Stress Resiliency, Brain Agility, and Emotional Integrity.

 

Seek the higher power of Stress Doc humor:  May the Farce Be with You.

 

Don’t miss your appointment with “Nurse Bonnie and the Stress Doc!”

Mark Gorkin, MSW, LICSW, "The Stress Doc" ™, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is a national keynote and webinar speaker and "Motivational Humorist & Team Communication Catalyst" known for his interactive, inspiring and FUN programs for both government agencies and major corporations.  A training and Critical Incident/Grief Intervention Consultant for the National EAP/Wellness Company, Business Health Services in Baltimore, MD, the Doc also leads “Stress, Team Building and Humor” programs for various branches of the Armed Services.  Mark, a former Stress and Violence Prevention Consultant for the US Postal Service, is the author of Resiliency Rap, Practice Safe Stress, and of The Four Faces of Anger.  See his award-winning, USA Today Online "HotSite" – www.stressdoc.com – called a "workplace resource" by National Public Radio (NPR).  For more info on the Doc's "Practice Safe Stress" programs or to receive his free e-newsletter, email stressdoc@aol.com or call 301-875-2567.