How to make your phone less addictive

During the expert session, Rory Tol engages participants through Mentimeter-based polls and interactive questions. Attendees estimate their daily phone usage, guess how much of a lifetime is spent on screens, and compare assumptions with real data. Polls and quizzes are used to highlight the gap between perceived and actual behaviour, surface the most distracting apps and features, and support decision-making around practical changes participants can apply immediately to reduce distraction.

• Why phones are so hard to put down: Understand how apps and short form feeds are designed to capture attention and why this affects focus and memory.

• How to make your phone less addictive: Learn a few simple, practical changes that reduce distractions without giving up your smartphone.

• How to regain focus without willpower: See how small environment changes and habit replacement help rebuild attention over time.

That statement captures the reality of today’s attention economy. Our phones and the apps on them are not neutral tools, they are designed to capture as much of our time and focus as possible.

In this session, we explore how short form content, infinite scroll and constant notifications shape attention, behaviour and long term cognitive functioning. Using current research, internal statements from technology companies, and clear visualisations, we build an understanding of what these systems are doing to us and why resisting them through willpower alone rarely works.

Rather than promoting digital detox or extreme measures, this lecture focuses on awareness first and action second. We take a small number of highly actionable steps that make smartphone use meaningfully less addictive. The goal is to reduce the impact of distraction, regain agency over attention, and make everyday phone use more intentional and less harmful.

Generative AI for the Modern Workplace (e.g. ChatGPT)

 

At this point, the integration of AI in the workplace seems inevitable as many professionals are using it daily. But are we using it safely without risking company or client data? And how should you write instructions so AI yields the best results? That's what we'll cover in this session. With a hands-on approach, we'll tackle how to interact effectively and securely with AI tools (ChatGPT), ensuring your team uses their capabilities to the fullest. We start at the basics and quickly learn how to create expert-level prompts. So whether you’re just starting or looking to sharpen your AI interaction skills, this lecture has got something for you.

 

AI as a Life Coach

 

In a world where AI is becoming an integral part of our daily routines, how can we harness its potential for personal growth, mental clarity, and self-reflection? This session delves into the use of generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, as a tool for self-help, introspection, and mental well-being. You’ll learn how to prepare for and conduct conversations with AI to clear your mind, organize your thoughts, give and receive feedback, and maintain an interactive AI journal that documents both your professional and personal journey.