{"id":58903,"date":"2022-02-21T08:06:04","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T12:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=58903"},"modified":"2022-02-26T19:11:19","modified_gmt":"2022-02-26T23:11:19","slug":"digital-distractions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/digital-distractions\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Keep Digital Distractions at Bay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are digital distractions keeping you from getting things done? What can you do to keep digital distractions at bay? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital distractions are pervasive\u2014no wonder, they are so hard to control. In his book Hyperfocus<\/em>, productivity expert Chris Bailey shares several ways to limit digital distractions: controlling your physical and digital environments, delegating your devices to specific tasks, disconnecting at times, and disabling notifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some helpful strategies to help you keep digital distractions at bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Managing Digital Distractions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bailey explains that our brains are constantly looking for more interesting things to focus on. So get as much distance as possible from digital distractions that might be more stimulating than your main task\u2014both in your physical and digital environments. First, assess how stimulating every potential distraction is and then make them difficult to access\u2014perhaps by removing them together. (Shortform note: Distancing your distractions makes accessing them inconvenient, and making bad habits inconvenient is an oft-cited strategy for breaking them: Switch<\/em> also discusses creating change-supporting spaces that make good behavior easy and undesirable behavior difficult<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Control Your Physical Environment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Put your phone in a different room<\/strong>. (Shortform note: Charge your phone outside the bedroom<\/a> if you\u2019re trying to hyperfocus on your relationships.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to focus on a person, trade phones<\/strong>. This allows you to make calls, but the phone isn\u2019t super-customized so you won\u2019t get nearly as distracted. (Shortform note: Alternatively, try the phone stacking game<\/a>, which went viral in 2012: Everybody puts their phone in the middle of the table and the first person to pick it up pays for the meal.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add elements that trigger productive behavior. <\/strong>Music may help\u2014but only if it\u2019s the right kind. Bailey explains that all noise attracts some of your attention, so silence is best for hyperfocus. But noise that\u2019s recognizable<\/em><\/strong>, <\/strong>straightforward<\/em><\/strong>, <\/strong>and <\/strong>quiet<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>is best\u2014so if music hides the blare of construction next door, it can help you hyperfocus. (Shortform note: If you need good work music, try lo-fi music. It\u2019s generally recognizable, straightforward, and quiet, and it boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014perhaps because it relaxes you, too<\/a>.) Other productive elements Bailey suggests include calming houseplants or a whiteboard to capture your daily intentions. (Shortform note: If you\u2019re allergic to plants, try adding a photo of them to your whiteboard: a University of Michigan study found that looking at pictures of nature can replenish your attentional capacity<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Control Your Digital Environment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Delete apps you don\u2019t need<\/strong>. (Shortform note: How do you know if you need it? Indistractable<\/em> suggests keeping only apps that benefit you or align with your values<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use apps like Freedom (paid) or Self-Control (free) to block access to distracting apps and websites<\/strong>. (Shortform note: If you can\u2019t use apps, Indistractable<\/em> also recommends using browser extensions to limit what you see<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, hide<\/strong> distracting apps in folders so they\u2019re not as accessible<\/strong>. You could also move them away from the home screen. Bailey specifically recommends using a \u201cMindless\u201d folder for your most distracting apps, arguing that the folder name will make you think twice about using it. (Shortform note: Eyal recommends a similar strategy: Place only apps that are \u201cTools\u201d (apps that help you with everyday tasks) or \u201cGoals\u201d (apps that help you with things you\u2019d like to spend your time with\u2014like a mindfulness app if you want to meditate more) on your home screen<\/a>\u2014and move everything else into folders on your secondary screen.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Close your email client<\/strong> if you\u2019re not using it.<\/strong> (Shortform note: If you can\u2019t close your email client, try expanding your work to your full screen\u2014if it\u2019s not visible, it\u2019s less likely to distract you.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bailey also recommends that you declutter to both physical and digital distractions<\/strong>. Clutter reminds you of your other to-dos, so it stresses you out. Cleaning it all up by putting your computer away or clearing off your desktop screen will help you focus when you need to\u2014and rest when you need to. (Shortform note: You could try the extreme strategy Indistractable<\/em> author Eyal describes: Leave your desktop screen completely blank except for the files you\u2019re working on, and file everything else into one folder labeled \u201cEverything.\u201d<\/a> Use your laptop\u2019s search function to find files you need so you\u2019re never distracted by visual desktop reminders.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Clearing your work laptop may be particularly important if you\u2019re hyperfocusing on your personal life and work from home\u2014if you don\u2019t see it, it\u2019s less likely to trigger thoughts of work tasks.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delegate Your Devices to Specific Tasks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bailey points out that many of our tools perform similar or identical tasks. For example, you might be able to send and receive text messages on both your cell phone and computer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bailey implies that this redundancy increases our likelihood of giving in to a tempting distraction. For example, you might successfully ignore the text message notification on your phone but fail to ignore the notification on your computer. He suggests reducing this redundancy in two main ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, he recommends limiting how you use each tool by delegating specific devices to specific tasks<\/strong>. His strategies for this are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n