We live in a world of constant texting and email and more websites. And I gotta check out Facebook and Snapchat and I got a post on Instagram. We are overwhelmed with technology and stimulation and buttons and beings, constant stimulation constantly information overload. Well here is a secret I see from amazingly productive people in every industry. Every field doesn't matter if it's Tim Ferriss, doesn't matter if it's Bill Gates. I see this again and again and again from so many different people who are wildly successful in their industries.

And that is, they take out some time each day for a digital detox. For many people, it's meditation. It's extraordinary how many wildly successful people believe in and practice meditation every day, when you're meditating. You turn the cell phones off, you're not looking at Facebook, you're getting away from all that. Now I'm going to confess to you. I'm not a fan of meditation.

I don't particularly enjoy that as I used to do it years ago, I just don't enjoy it. That's only one method. Here's the method I use. I go for a long walk every day, at least an hour, sometimes an hour and a half. And here's the hard part took me a while to get used to this. this.

I didn't take it just in case of emergencies. I didn't take it in case someone had to get ahold of me. I left the phone at home. And I didn't take any technology. The problem with taking your phone on a walk is Oh, you get an idea. You want to write a note, dictate a note.

Next thing you know, oh, something's popped up from Facebook. Oh, a client has written an email. Oh, there is a text from a good friend or family member And you are lost, you may still be walking you may still be getting some of the physical benefits of the exercise but your mind is right back where it was. I enjoy walking because it frees the mind and allows me to think about short term goals and long term goals and life. And where do I really want to be 10 years from now 30 years from now what do I want my legacy to be? And sometimes mundane things, what I want to cook for dinner what shows what I want to get to this weekend when I'm in Manhattan frees up the mind it also calms the mind down and allows you to think of projects think of areas where you want to inject more creativity.

And you could say well, TJ but I take my notes in my phone if I don't have my phone, I have a great idea and I can't write it down. Take a piece of paper and pencil if you want to. I find occasionally I do have degrees Deans come to me while I'm walking. And if they're really good ideas, I'll remember them. When I get back to the home office, and I can type them up or dictate them, then I do find that this is critically important. Steve Jobs famously love long walks.

He especially liked having meetings conducted while walking, because it allows you to get rid of all the clutter, to really focus on one thing and to think that's what highly productive people do is they're looking for times when they can think now, some aspects of meditation you don't even let your brain think you're trying to completely shut down. But at least you're not thinking about all the minutia, the latest email, text nonsense on Facebook. My recommendation to you is if you've never tried meditation, try meditation. And there's tons of great courses right here on this platform and others. There's tons of great books apps and podcasts to help you with meditate, I'm not going to try to educate you on that. If nothing else, go for a walk.

Doesn't have to be in the woods. It could be in an urban in my I do this when I'm in New York City where I spend time and I do this in Long Island and the suburbs and foreign lands and other areas in my neighborhood. You can do it anywhere. The main thing is, you're not looking at a screen. You're not listening to them. Sorry music fans, I'm not listening to music, then I am just listening to what's around me and thinking that makes me a more productive person.

It makes it easier for me to have clarity on the goals and the projects that are most important. calms my mind down and I'm not a particularly panic anxious guy anyway. But regardless, having time with When you know, no one's gonna bother you. No spouse or kids or anything, it will come to you with urgent issues. It's time alone to really think I highly recommend you figure out some way of doing that for you. You might be on a long train commute and you put a meditation headset on if that's the only time you have I prefer you be alone and not have any electronics.

But if that's the only time you have alone, then do don't meditate while driving. Okay? But other than that, you've got to figure out some time to get away from it. We'll be talking about this more throughout the course. But for right now, find some time of the day other than when you're sleeping and you need to have this away from you when you're sleeping. Find some time of the day when you have no laptop, no iPad, no PC, no mag and no cell phone, anywhere near you.