The Noticing Project was developed to share the novel teaching methods our instructor team at Providence College is using in our Introductory Management course (MGT 101). They are designed for high school and college students, and the teachers who support them, who want practical ways to build stronger habits around attention, time, and self-management.

Phones and social media are part of daily life, but they can quietly take more time than we realize. The real cost isn't only screen time but what that time displaces: deep focus, sleep, movement, face-to-face connection, and meaningful work.

A concrete example is the Screen Time Intervention, created by a Providence College student after she noticed a pattern during a summer internship: whenever she felt bored or stuck, she reached for her phone and started scrolling. Those small moments added up, undermining her performance over time. She built this activity so others could spot the pattern earlier and make more deliberate choices before the costs accumulate.

Our goal isn't a dramatic transformation in a week. It's small, repeatable actions that increase awareness, strengthen self-management, and help students and educators create positive momentum that lasts.