There’s a “Slow Media” manifesto which attempts to apply the same mindfulness of Slow Food to how we digest media. For me, Slow Media is about *not* reading/watching/listening just to get to the end of something, but rather really enjoying a piece of media. Allowing myself to pause and think critically about what i’m consuming. What are some ways i do this?
1. Evernote/Moleskine – taking notes on a book as i go both increases my cognition and slows down my pace.
2. Slow breathing – seriously, when i’m running through a bunch of feeds or straining to get to the end of an article, i experience a version of email apnea. If you’re not breathing – or breathing really quickly – while you consume media, you’re likely not Slow Media mode.
3. Post a comment, email the author – by thinking about not just what i’m reading but what is my response or reaction, i’m able to engage the content with a different goal in mind. A goal what thinks about adding to conversation, not just absorbing it.
Wow. I didn't know there was a term for it. I experience email apnea all the time.