“Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus.” — Ann Voskamp
Our world has become a constant feed of information, noise, and entertainment. Our phones live not just in our pockets, but in front of our eyes. The influence of the Internet and its constant stream of information is accessible from nearly corner of our world. Breaking news breaks into our day at breakneck speed. And we are fed messages relentlessly from advertisements on nearly every flat surface. Each distraction enters our mind with one goal: Gain control of our attention and resources.
As a result, we live distracted lives and our ability to focus, create, and accomplish suffers significantly. It is increasingly clear that distractions are not going away on their own. Instead, the responsibility is ours to live attentive, intentional lives in a world of distraction. This is a goal we must continue to seek.
To live life with less distraction, consider implementing one or more of these 10 unconventional habits:
1. Turn off smart phone notifications. Our smart phones have quickly become one of the greatest sources of distraction in our lives. The average person now touches their mobile phone 2,617 times every day.
To limit the distractive nature of your smart phone, turn off all nonessential notifications (Email, Facebook, Twitter, Games, etc.) as a default setting. As a result, you will be able to check your apps on your schedule at appropriate times throughout the day.
2. Read/Answer email only twice each day. When we keep our email client open all day, we surrender our attention to the most recent bidder rather than the most important. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we understand why the habit of checking email only twice/day is promoted over and over again by some of the most productive people in our world today (Michael Hyatt, Scott Belsky, Leo Babauta).
Schedule your email processing. You will feel the benefits immediately as the habit instantly limits incoming distraction.
3. Complete 1-2 minute projects immediately. Our lives and minds are often cluttered and distracted by the many unfinished projects around us (unanswered email, household chores, financial responsibilities). Fortunately, many of these projects can be completed in far less time than we think. To live with less distraction, if a project can be completed in less than 2 minutes, adopt a “one-minute-rule” mentality.
4. Remove physical clutter. Unnecessary clutter is a significant form of visual distraction. Consider this: everything in our eyesight subtly pulls at our attention at least a little. And the more we remove, the less visual stress and distraction we experience. Clear your desk, your walls, your counters, and your home of unneeded possessions. You’ll be surprised at your newfound ability to focus.
5. Clear visible, distracting digital clutter. Just like physical clutter distracts our attention, digital clutter accomplishes the same. Desktop icons, open programs, and other visible notifications jockey for unannounced attention in our mind. Notice the digital triggers that grab your attention. And ruthlessly remove them.
6. Accept and accentuate your personal rhythms. Discover the rhythms of your day to make the most of them. For example, I do my best creative work in the morning, afternoons work well for busy-work, and evenings are set aside for family—leaving late evenings for entertainment, rest, and guilt-free distraction.
Accepting and understanding our natural rhythms to the day/week provides healthy motivation to remove distractions during our most productive parts of the day knowing there is opportunity later to indulge them
7. Establish a healthy morning routine. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The first hour is the rudder of the day.” He was absolutely right. Begin your days on your terms apart from distraction. If possible, wake first in your household. Drink your coffee or tea or fix yourself a warm breakfast. Journal or read or just enjoy the silence. Develop a distraction-free morning routine. It will lay the foundation for a less-distracted day.
8. Cancel cable / Unplug television. It is difficult to argue against the distracting nature of our television. Researchers tell us the average American watches 37-40 hours of television each week. There is, of course, a solution to this madness: unplug your television completely.
But if this step seems too drastic a stretch for your family, you’ll never regret the simple decision to cancel cable. Your calendar will thank you for the extra time available. Your wallet will thank you for the extra dollars. And you’ll quickly wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
9. Keep a to-do list. One of the most helpful and practical pieces of advice I ever received about keeping focus is the simple solution of keeping a to-do list handy and current. No matter how hard you try to manage yourself, new responsibilities and opportunities will surface in your mind from internal and external sources.
The opportunity to quickly write down the task allows it to be quickly discarded from your mind. I use Clear as a simple, easy-to-use opportunity list.
10. Care less what other people think. The value of your life is not measured by the number of likes your Facebook post receives or the number of positive comments on your blog post. Please understand, there is great value in humbly seeking opinion and appreciating the wise counsel of those who love you.
But there is no value in wasting mental energy over the negative criticism of those who only value their own self-interests. Learn to recognize the difference. And stop living distracted over the opinion of people who don’t matter.
There is little doubt our world is filled with constant distraction—it always has been. And there is little doubt that those who achieve the greatest significance in life learn to manage it effectively—they always have.
Image: Richard Ruzsa
Jessica says
I use lists all the time! It helps me so much, I also get more done at home, at work or anywhere else.
I will be turning my notifications on my phone off today. You are right we check it all the time. I will still check my phone elsey couple hours for how many steps I have walked but thats about it. ( gotta get those 10,000 in )
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Laura says
Great list which is quite achievable – in terms of the to-do list I often think that a digital to-do list using a simple note taking app on our phone or other device is great, it’s a very proactive asset which keeps you current with what you have done and what still needs to be done.
Bill Berry says
Setting limits on computer time is essential to your wellness. Smart phones are actually stupid in many, many ways. I agree with all of the advice offered here. The sedentary, obesity age we currently are enjoying is a direct result of the so called “information age”. News Flash!: (Information has always been with us.) The “info” load is so overwhelming most of us are operating in a dream-like state, unable to process even a portion of the fire-hose supply aimed at us daily. I have been a computer worker now for 20 years, I am doing my best to get out. It is rare to see a computer worker with any level of physical fitness, especially the older ones. The machines are literally destroying our bodies, eyeballs, and ability to think clearly.
thedebtfreeminimalist says
Another great article J.B.
There are just far too many distractions in our modern lives, distractions that steal away our precious free time, leaving little time left for the things that truly matter.
If you enjoyed reading this article then you will bring probably enjoy my article ‘It’s time to ditch a time-stealer on my website, http://www.thedebtfreeminimalist.com, an inspiring blog about how to live a simple, frugal, debt-free, minimalist life.
My latest blogs include:
Are you a clutterist? Take the 5-a-day challenge (and i’m not talking fruit!)
The duvet which made a difference (a tale of giving)
Is the iPhone such a smart phone?
A tale of opportunity cost (and the effects of compound interest)
What ever happened to the idea of a 15-hour week? (A tale of priorities and the value of time)
Sandy @Modern-Simplicity says
Great list Joshua. I totally agree that having a well-organized to-do list can greatly reduce distraction and keep you focused. We also got rid of cable a few months ago. I haven’t regretted it at all. We have a Roku box for Hulu Plus and Netflix, and our tv time has gone down considerably now that we have to be intentional about what we want to watch. There’s no more turning on the tv and just leaving it on all time. The money savings has been wonderful too!
Slackerjo says
How about this radical step – don’t carry your smart phone everywhere. People think they are super important but really they are not that important.
Ruth says
I don’t have a smart phone but I carry a “calls only” phone – much cheaper – for emergencies and for keeping my husband updated as to my whereabouts.
Laura Gail says
Amen to #8. We moved into a new house on a new street 3 days before Christmas. Cable had not been run to our street so at the time the only option was satellite dish. We opted no because it was higher than basic cable and we couldn’t fit it into our budget. Now, it’s the best decision we ever made for our family besides cutting up our credit cards. I only wish we had done it sooner! Love your blog!
bansidhar says
thanks