247: How to leave your phone alone with Johann Hari

What makes social media so addictive? How do we get our kids off their phones? Why is multitasking a myth? And what's it like to be mates with Oprah and fat-shamed by the Dalai Lama? Answering all these questions is best-selling author Johann Hari! 

He tells us how a trip to Graceland with a phone-obsessed teenager kicked off his investigation into how our brains are being changed by technology. We discuss the rise in ADHD being diagnosed in kids, and the 12 factors affecting our ability to stay focused. Johann offers some practical tips for reclaiming our attention, and reveals the one thing he reckons we should all buy for our homes. 

So yes, some serious chat, but we also talk about online dating and dick pics. Johann reveals how an experience at KFC made him reevaluate his whole life, and Helen shares what he describes as "The most redundant piece of advice ever." 

Johann's brilliant book, Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention, is out now in paperback. For more about his work, and to read what Oprah thinks of him, visit johannhari.com. 

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