Effective at Eliminating External Distractors

Last week brought a couple of significant events. First, while I'll avoid political commentary, the recent news from the US presidential race reminded me of the challenge of knowing when to quit. Sometimes, stepping aside is the best decision for ourselves and those who rely on our leadership (I wrote about it here.)

On a personal note, after two months of self-employment, I noticed how much more I was using my phone. With fewer meetings, I found myself increasingly distracted by WhatsApp, social media, and endless videos (all supposedly about "improving soft skills"). I tried various strategies to offset this, but one approach has proven effective over the past month. Knowing I was going to write about distractions, I reached out to the company behind it, and they offered the promo code "effective" for a 10% discount. I know it’s a small discount, but I’m excited because this is a first for me. I don't really see this newsletter pushing ads any time soon; however, depending on how this goes, I will continue to reach out proactively to brands I trust, and provide something valuable to you all. So if you want more of these, keep reading to see if you can benefit from this solution.

THE THEORY

In today’s connected world, email, messaging apps, and phones are the top non-physical distractions impacting our productivity. Evidence shows that the average office worker receives about 121 emails daily and engages in up to 6.2 hours of digital communication. This explains why we sometimes feel we aren’t accomplishing much during work hours (I wrote a whole post about this here). And then there's our phones - an omnipresent source of distraction. On average, Americans check their phones 96 times a day, spending approximately 5 hours and 24 minutes daily. [Side note: If these stats don't make you want to keep reading, I'm not sure what will.]

Cal Newport's "Deep Work", explains that constant email and messaging keep us in a state of "shallow work," reducing our ability to focus deeply due to a "task-shifting penalty." Research supports this: a study from the University of Irvine found that it takes 20 minutes to regain momentum after an interruption, while a University of London study showed that just being interrupted by an email notification can lower IQ by as many as 10 points. This second study is even titled "Emails Hurt IQ More Than Pot," which I think only highlights the point I'm making.

Phones are perhaps the biggest offenders. They’re designed to grab our attention with endless notifications and updates. The dopamine rush from these interactions creates a feedback loop that makes us "want more," leading to significant distraction... and even addiction. Many experts recommend curing this addiction by using strategies like switching your phone to greyscale mode (to reduce its visual appeal) or using apps to block distracting content. These methods help in managing phone use and maintaining focus.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS

I read multiple times online that "airplane mode is the ultimate productivity hack" - no notifications, no distractions, just focus. However, I found that completely disconnecting from my phone all day wasn't realistic. [Side Note: Like many other online recommendations, I wonder if those posting them actually try their own "hacks"]. I also tried the app-blocking feature on my iPhone. It worked initially but became ineffective once my brain got used to bypassing it (with just 4 magical digits!).

That’s when I tried Brick (getbrick.app/shop), which truly worked for me. Brick helps you stay focused by blocking distracting apps in a customizable way. Unlike generic advice like airplane mode, Brick allowed me to have different settings, for example: I have one for workouts (blocking most apps but allowing YouTube and Spotify) and another for deep work (blocking everything but phone calls and text messages). This approach has worked well for me as I strive to get at least 3 hours of deep work per day. However, the key is experimenting to find what suits you best. If you also think your phone is absorbing a lot of your time and want to give Brick a try, use the code "effective" for a 10% discount.

HOW TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE

1. Remove Email Notifications: Go to your email provider and disable popup notifications (here is an example of how to do it for Outlook; you can easily Google how to do it for others). If you think that this is not feasible because you need to respond to emails immediately, try to still do this but check email every hour for 10 minutes. This will allow you to have at least 50 minutes of deep work in between.

2. Switch Your Phone to Greyscale: On an iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display and Text Size > Color Filters, turn "Color Filters" on, and select "Greyscale."

3. Block Distracting Apps: Use airplane mode or the screen time features on your phone (iPhone has downtime and app limits). For a more personalized solution, try using an app like Brick to customize how to block access to the distracting apps that are relevant.

4. Allow Specific Screen-Time: Allocate specific times during the day to check your phone and stick to them. This prevents constant checking and helps you stay focused during work periods.

Indistractably,

Jorge Luis Pando