Article

Bruce Lee famously said, “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.” Forget laser focus, just completing a task feels like an achievement these days. Humans now have an average attention span of just 8 seconds! If you’re already feeling restless as you read this article, you know that focus is an issue. 

What are today’s distractions? 

A distraction is anything that takes our focus away from what we're doing. Ever picked up your phone to reply to a message or order something, only to end up scrolling through unrelated feeds? Phones and apps are master distractors, designed to keep us hooked for hours.  

Beyond distractions are deeper challenges. We've grown so accustomed to short-form content that sitting through a two-hour movie feels difficult. We send emojis instead of having real conversations. We idolise influencers without considering practicalities. Digital anonymity has turned many into keyboard warriors, avoiding real-world problems. 

As dystopian as it sounds, this is only set to worsen. With AI taking over tasks ranging from operational to creative, we will end up with a lot more time on our hands. Time that we will most likely spend being distracted. 

Cognitive Decline - the biggest impact of distractions 

Cognitive decline is the gradual erosion of our thinking abilities, including attention, memory, decision-making, reasoning, and planning. 

Close your eyes and go through your day for a minute. In all your daily tasks, is there any that does not require the application of these cognitive functions? How about doom scrolling? We could argue that we still need cognitive functions to make sense of what we are watching or reading, but a 30 second reel or a 15 second skim-through of an article is not going to stay in our memory, or help us reinforce existing learning. So, all it ends up being is mindless entertainment. 

Every notification ping from our phones triggers the release of dopamine in our brains, which is a neurotransmitter associated with reward. Over a period of time, we adopt compulsive phone checking behaviours and stay in a persistent state of heightened alertness. Research findings show that smartphone sounds slow response times and hinder cognitive processing, making it harder to distinguish between noise and important information.  

Here’s something more concerning. The "brain drain" hypothesis posits that the mere presence of a smartphone can reduce available cognitive capacity, even when the device is not actively being used. A study involving undergraduates demonstrated that students performed better on cognitive tests when their phones were kept in a separate room compared to when the phones were silenced and placed nearby.  

How does one survive this decline, without letting go of the life conveniences that our phones offer?

Surviving, and growing in the age of distractions 

Technology isn't our master, we are. Yet we blame technology for our lack of focus and poor time management. The answer to surviving an increasingly noisy digital world isn’t giving up smartphones, but to: 

1. Identify our personal triggers for seeking distractions 

2. Use technology to limit distractions 

3. Develop deep focus habits 

 

Identifying our personal triggers 

What prompts us to pick our phones? The most likely reasons are communication, shopping, utilities or entertainment. But, entertainment apps are way more enticing than work related apps. To combat this: 

• Set clear time blocks for entertainment or gaming, such as 10 minutes after lunch, 30 minutes during your commute, or 30 minutes post-dinner. 

• If time-blocking feels difficult, use entertainment as a reward for completing essential tasks. 

 

Using technology to limit distractions 

How easy is it to stay away from distractions? Not that easy given that we have wired our brains to expect dopamine hits every so often. Here are some tried and tested ways to not get tempted: 

• Turn off notifications from social media, gaming, and messaging apps. 

• Use your phone's greyscale mode when focusing on tasks. This reduces visual stimulation and makes the phone less appealing. 

• Keep your phone away from your workspace or place it in a drawer. 

• Use a productivity app (or good old pen and paper) to organize your daily tasks. Prioritize them in this order: 

1. Important and Urgent 

2. Urgent 

3. Important 

4. Anything that doesn't fit these categories shouldn't be on your list for the day. 

• Use a digital calendar to set reminders for key events and deadlines, especially if you juggle remote work or multiple projects. 

 

Learning to focus deeply on tasks 

As tempting as it is to watch TV and work on mundane tasks or reply to email during a work meeting, refrain from it. Multitasking is a myth. While it may feel productive, studies confirm that humans can't truly multitask. Instead, we rapidly switch between tasks, reducing efficiency and increasing mental fatigue. 

Use time management techniques like Pomodoro to track your Focus time runs. How does Pomodoro work? Start the timer. Focus and work on a specific task for 25 minutes. When the buzzer goes off, take a 5 minute meaningful break before getting back to the next iteration. If your phone is bothering you by its mere presence, move it away, or lock your phone using an app during the focus time block. 

What truly matters in learning to focus is building up the willpower to stay on course, and see the task to completion. 

Beating the distraction trap fully 

We’re creatures of habit. We could build a habit of scrolling in bed until 1 am, or we could form a habit of leaving our phone in another room 30 minutes before bedtime.  An 8 to 10 hour workday or running from class to class can feel exhausting. But squandering our most prized possessions - time and attention, on social media or Netflix because we think we deserve it isn’t the answer to exhaustion.  

Mindfulness is the answer. In a world designed to distract you, what can make you be in the moment, experiencing what you’re doing in that moment alone? Try simple mindfulness exercises. Being aware of how you drink water, eating with focus or listening with intent are all small, yet powerful ways to be mindful. 

Meta thinking is the answer. Think about what your thought processes are when you work, when you have fun, when you want to be distracted. What instigates interruption? What are your thoughts after you indulge in distractions? The first step would be to meditate - just simply observe your thoughts in a quiet environment. 

Smart time management is equally important. Find time for your mental and physical well being, family and friends and life goals. 

In the words of Sir Edmund Hilary, “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” 

About the Author

Ms Ahlada Janani Sudersan has worked in the education industry in various roles, including as an educator, curriculum developer, teacher trainer, and manager, before taking the plunge as an entrepreneur. She is currently the co-founder of ZEN-it, India’s first mindful productivity app, designed to help individuals achieve high productivity and realise their goals without burnout.  

References: 

1. https://www.sambarecovery.com/rehab-blog/average-human-attention-span-statistics

2. https://neurosciencenews.com/smartphone-notifications-cognition-22048/ 

3. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/691462 

4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminlaker/2024/10/04/how-to-master-time-management-in-the-age-of-distraction/ 

5. https://asana.com/resources/multitasking