In this episode of The Joy of Living, Barry Shore sits down with Heather Henderson, author of Reclaiming and a former tech industry insider with experience at companies including Google and Uber. Together they explore one of the most pressing challenges of modern life: the quiet erosion of our attention by persuasive technology.

Heather explains that presence is the new luxury, not because it costs money, but because our devices are deliberately engineered to capture and hold our focus.

She shares what she witnessed from the inside of big tech, including laptop-down meetings where even employees were asked to put devices away, and how some of the most influential tech leaders build personal boundaries against the very products they create.

The conversation digs into digital addiction, the difference between neutral technology and persuasive technology, and how understanding what a platform is feeding in you is the first step toward reclaiming your time. Barry and Heather also explore the idea that every click and scroll leaves a digital footprint that fuels the data economy, and why dedicated attention is your most valuable resource.

Heather's core message is that this challenge belongs to all of us regardless of age, background, or location, and that awareness itself is the beginning of freedom. Her book Reclaiming and her personal journey from inside the tech world to advocate for human presence make her a compelling and credible guide on this topic.