We live in the attention economy.
Distractions lie all around us.
Each one within an arm's reach and available at a moment’s notice.
The supercomputers in our pockets, the streaming platforms on our TVs and the endless notifications on our devices relentlessly scream for our attention.
This attention we willingly give away.
We habitually reach for our phones at the first sign of boredom, seeking that next dopamine rush from one more like on our latest Instagram photo. We doom-scroll to our heart’s content, stuck in a loop of instant gratification, sacrificing our long-term satisfaction.
But, the worst part?
When we give these tools our focus, we pay with all the things we could have attended to, but didn’t; the goals we didn't pursue, the actions we didn’t take, and the possible futures we could have created for ourselves.
So, how do we compete with this? How do we wrestle back control from applications and devices engineered by 1000s of psychologists to appeal to our most innate desires?
The answer is simple: Don’t try to compete. Do these things instead…
#1: Control your focus
Of all the distractions, the phone is by far the most addictive.
The endless notifications, the ease of accessibility and red bubbles are all there to steal our attention. In return we scroll at a moment's notice, habitually taking it with us to the toilet, and get anxious if we even contemplate leaving home without it.
Here’s how you take back control:
1) Delete apps that don’t help your goals.
Audit the apps on your phone and assess whether they help you achieve your goals or not. Delete those that don’t. If you’re unsure, delete it. If you sometimes NEED to access it, use the desktop version instead. The aim is to make them more difficult to access.
2) Remove the pointless notifications.
Not all notifications are created equally. Direct messages are more important than the latest likes on your photos. So, with the apps you’ve decided to keep, go to the notification manager and turn-off non-urgent notifications. Leave only the MOST important ones.
3) Turn off all phone sounds.
Switch your phone into ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. Allow only phone calls to warrant a sound.. Everything else simply does not deserve your attention. Deal with the remaining reminders when you next choose to open your phone, not when it decides to distract you.
These simple actions create a huge difference.
Remember, the aim is to make your phone BORING.
If you want to go a step further:
Replace your background with a simple black & white colour.
Track the time you spend on each app and review weekly.
Place your most addictive apps a few scrolls away from the homescreen.
#2: Build your deep work
Everyone is obsessed with working smart.
But what actually is smart work? And how do we do it?
Smart work is better known as deep work; that being “activities spent in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive abilities to their limits”.
Deep work enables you to complete tasks that are at the edge of your comfort zone, requiring your time and energy to start and a control of procrastination to finish.
It means reframing your daily activities and distancing yourself from shallow work, which are low-value tasks that are easy to replicate, requiring minimal brain power.
Here are some examples of both:
Examples of Shallow Work
Hitting refresh on your email inbox.
Replying to team-mates on Slack.
Making phone calls to arrange logistics.
Attending status meeting updates.
Examples of Deep Work
Writing a document for a client.
Researching an article for your blog.
Drafting your fresh new launch plan.
Learning a new skill on Coursera.
Now you know the difference between shallow & deep work, you need to create the environment in which you can execute on the tasks that will truly move the needle.
To do this, create a deep work routine using:
Location - Find a distraction-free environment that is familiar to you. Choose it to be your deep work location and get consistent with it. Familiarity will enable you to start deep working before you can even think about what’s for dinner.
Duration - Choose how long you will dedicate to the task in advance. Start small and work your way up to bigger sessions. The Pomodoro technique of 25 minutes of focused work followed by 5 minutes of rest is a great starting point.
Structure - Define what the deep work session will look like. Will your phone be in the same room as you? Will you allow yourself to access the internet? How often will you check your progress? Once you’ve set your rules, stick to them.
Requirements - Once you’ve started to flex your deep work muscle, you’ll learn what makes you tick. When you know you need to jam to low-fi trance music with a glass of squash next to you then double down on it and make both within an arm's reach.
The next step?
Just START.
Then refine, iterate & improve.
#3: Extend your flow state
Once you’re regularly entering the 4th dimension of focus, it’s time to apply some specific strategies to extend your flow state to the next level.
Firstly, choose a deep work scheduling philosophy.
1) Monastic - Focus nearly all your time on deep work Ie. Spend everyday focused on deep work activities and reject every form of shallow work.
2) Bimodal - Split your years, months or weeks into deep work and shallow work. Ie. Devote Autumn & Winter to deep work and Spring & Summer to shallow work.
3) Rhythmic - Divide your day into deep and shallow work. Ie. Use mornings for deep work and afternoons for shallow work.
4) Journalistic - Practice deep work sporadically. Ie. Seize time in the day to do deep work when you can.
Then, learn what type of work creates your flow.
Some tasks are boring. Others are stressful.
To create an engaging flow state, you need to balance the level of your skill with the challenge at hand.
The task needs to be difficult enough that you don’t have an off the shelf solution ready, while the progress you’re making needs to be obvious and rewarding.
It can be a tough balancing act.
But, one that gets easier with time.
Finally, leverage your calendar.
When you want to undertake deep work, open up your favourite calendar app and add in a time-block with a clear goal you want to achieve. This will force the deep work routine into practice with a clear reminder of what to do when.
The Summary
Let’s recap; To master your focus, you need to remove your biggest distractions, build deep work into your routine and enable your flow state.
Today you’ve learnt the tools. Now take ACTION.
If you want further reading, here’s this week’s list: