We’ll drop $200 on face cream and obsess over hitting 10,000 steps — yet we’re voluntarily aging our brains every time we look down at our phones.

What if the simplest anti-aging act isn’t something we put on our bodies? What if the secret to staying sharp, engaged, and alive is as simple as looking up?

Years ago, I made a brain training pact with myself: either tackle what annoys me or make peace with it. Solve it or release it. This practice has brought me a lot of freedom—except there’s this one thing I can’t seem to shake:

Everywhere I go — in meetings, at the dinner table, at the gym, walking down the stairs (really???)  — people are constantly looking down.

I have this urge to stop complete strangers and ask — not so politely — “Why are you looking down? What are you looking at that’s more important than what’s right in front of you?”

The Wake-Up Call

I recently took a self-defense seminar where the instructor opened with this: “Eighty percent of attacks could be prevented simply by being more aware of your surroundings.”

If personal safety isn’t enough motivation to look up, maybe brain health will be.

Here’s the hard science: Chronic phone use ages our brain faster. We’re training our minds to be less curious, less engaged, and more passive.

If you want a visual: we’re voluntarily putting our minds in early retirement – placing them in rocking chairs before their time.

The Connection Crisis

We’re also lonelier than ever—even when we’re not alone.  We’re wired for face-to-face connection. Yet when we’re surrounded by real, breathing humans, we look at our devices and ignore the person sitting three feet away.

As leaders, when we model phone-first behavior, we’re literally teaching our teams to be less present, less creative, and less connected to each other.

Want to stay young? Make eye contact. Start a real conversation. Let your brain and body be here instead of always chasing the next notification.

“Every time you look up instead of down, you’re giving your brain a mini-workout no supplement can match. You’re also modeling the kind of presence that builds better teams, stronger relationships, and sharper leadership.”

The Business Case for Looking Up

This isn’t an anti-technology rant. I use and love technology. But I’m asking:

Aren’t you even a little worried about missing the most important moments in the room? The ones that require your full attention and your presence?

Aren’t you curious about the world around you—the real one, not the one curated through your feed?

Every time you choose to look up instead of down, you’re giving your brain a mini-workout—one that no supplement can match. You’re also modeling the kind of presence that builds better teams, stronger relationships, and sharper leadership.

Put This to the Test

Count how many times you reach for your phone during one conversation today. Don’t judge. Just notice.

The Challenge

I used to fantasize about shouting “LOOK UP!” from rooftops. But yelling rarely changes minds.

So instead, I’ll ask— What will it take for you to lift your head and see each other again?

What would change if, just for today, you paused before reaching for your phone and turned your attention to the people around you?

Maybe your next anti-aging breakthrough isn’t in a jar or on a tracking device. Maybe it’s in your next conversation. Your next breath. Your next look up.

If you’re ready to lead with more presence, clarity, and connection – let’s talk.

Presence isn’t passive. It’s a daily decision.

Let’s explore what ‘looking up’ could unlock in your leadership.  Let’s Talk
Simon Sinek captures this dynamic perfectly in this short video—how just the presence of a phone can disrupt real connection.