Lack of focus and motivation are critical problems for modern adults. The ability to concentrate is crucial in every area of life: mastering new skills, excelling in a workspace, fostering personal wellness and mental health, and so on. But how do we navigate a world full of distractions and stay on top of shrinking attention spans?
Meet Nir Eyal, the author of "Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life." We interviewed Nir to discuss his book and to learn how to master focus.
Nir Eyal provides several methods that contribute to the "purity" of thoughts and help maintain sustained attention in his book, Indistractable. He explores the leading causes of distraction in the modern world and offers practical strategies for regaining control over our attention. Nir shares some insights about his own journey to becoming indistractable and tips to help you clear the clutter from your brain.
The skill of the century
The best introduction is Nir Eyal’s personal story. He shares: “I remember I was with my daughter one morning. I explored a book describing activities that help dads get closer to their daughters. One of the activities suggested in this book was to ask each other a question: “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?”
I remember the question, but I can't tell you what my daughter said. At that moment, I decided to quickly check my phone. By the time I looked up from my device, she was gone, and I was sending a very clear message that whatever was on my phone was more important than she was. So, she went outside to play with some toys.
At that moment, I realized it was time to reassess my relationship with distractions because it wasn't just my daughter experiencing this. Proper nutrition, sports, and big projects at work were also being postponed, and I procrastinated hour after hour.”
Nir highlights that the ability to concentrate is crucial in every area of life. Without focusing on the present moment, we can't learn new skills, take care of our physical health through regular exercise, or have good relationships. The ability to focus is the skill of the century.
7 "Indistractable" Principles to Master Your Focus
Nir Eyal shares a few methods for a general thought cleanup to help us beat the habit of distraction and stay on top of your attention span.
Get rid of the "evil technology" myth
We're used to blaming social media, news, notifications, and Netflix for consuming our attention. However, Nir points out that technology is not a curse but a blessing. For the first time in history, people do not have to be bored in their free time.
“Instead of blaming technologies, we should understand that 90% of our distractions begin from within. I would love to tell you some life hacks, like turning off notifications and changing your smartphone screen to black-and-white mode. But they only work if you first deal with internal triggers like boredom, loneliness, and fatigue.
If we're bored, we have to check text messages. If we're uncertain, we have to look at the news. If we're stressed or anxious, we opt for drinking, watching TV, or eating junk food. An emotion regulation problem is the source of 90% of our distractions.”
Audit your internal triggers
Understanding the certain emotions driving distractions is crucial to overcoming them. Are you bored, lonely, exhausted, uncertain, stressed, or anxious? Rather than seeking escape through phone scrolling or other distractions, use that discomfort, like rocket fuel, to move toward traction.
Nir suggests: “I keep a piece of paper and a pen with me at all times at my desk. If I get distracted, I write down what that sensation is. Was it stress, anxiety, or boredom? I try to acknowledge and record distracting emotions without beating myself up.”
Get curious about where negative sensations come from. Then, you can plan what you will do the next time you experience that sensation. You will know better what to do with your internal triggers instead of trying to escape them. In his book, Nir Eyal sets out 12 different techniques that you can use to master internal triggers and boost concentration.
"Sort out" your goals and choose the right tools
Having a goal will help you stay focused whenever you feel discomfort. It is the rocket fuel that leads toward traction. Think in advance about how exactly to allocate your time so as not to allow emotions to take over. It should not be that you feel negative emotions and immediately try to run away. It should be that you have planned your day and know when it is time to check social media, explore the Headway app, do some physical activity, or be with your children.
When we consciously reflect on the lives we aspire to lead and our core values, many of us prioritize continuous growth. While we may desire to be lifelong learners, do we allocate time to complete tasks like these in our schedules? Do we invest in meaningful conversations, explore new subjects, have a peaceful morning routine, prioritize regular exercise, or fall prey to endless scrolling? Here, platforms like Headway offer a mindful approach to utilizing technology for personal development. We can give full attention to topics of interest by scheduling time for learning and self-improvement.
Eyal sums up: “The main filter for using technology in everyday life should be the answer to the fundamental question: does the technology serve me, or do I serve it? If technology makes a great contribution to your growth and well-being, it serves you, and that’s great. Therefore, it's imperative to proactively choose which technologies to integrate into our lives and onto our devices.”
Empty your to-do list…
Nir defines a to-do list as one of the worst things for personal productivity and mental health. It only makes us feel overwhelmed and guilty about unaccomplished tasks, which may eventually lead to burnout.
The first problem with to-do lists is that they have no limits. It's like an endless closet that must be filled with new things constantly. The second issue is that to-do lists do not specify all the processes behind a specific task, outlining only the desired results. People who rely exclusively on to-do lists during the workday can easily get distracted by emails, phone calls, text messages, or notifications, often switching their focus and struggling to complete tasks.
A much better way of time management is to commit to working on a single task without distractions for a set period of time. Then, the goal is not to finish the task but to work for as long as you set out to do so. This way, one can avoid the detrimental effects of multitasking.
Those who mark specific time blocks to tasks create a feedback loop that allows them to minimize mind wandering, assess progress, and adjust accordingly. For example, you need to make a 30-slide presentation. You've determined that you'll work on the task for 30 minutes and do just that. Let's imagine that in half an hour, you made three slides. Now you know you need nine more time boxes to finish the presentation.
…and fill in your calendar
Most people have a long to-do list and an empty calendar. However, it should be the other way around. If your calendar is empty and there are no things to do, you can't say you were distracted because you don't know what you got distracted from. But if you have a clear and detailed schedule, you can identify when and what you are distracted by and deal with it.
“I plan my schedule once a week. Every day, I know what exactly I should do for today. If something changes the day before, I can change my plans for the next day. But I only change something on the day if it's an emergency. This way, I can ensure I'm on the same page with my goals and spend enough time on the things important to me,” shares Nir Eyal.
Commenting on the approach to scheduling a day and defining priorities, he highlights: “Planning our calendars starts with our values. Ask yourself: "How would the person I want to become spend their time?" Then, fill in your calendar according to the answer. Whatever your values are — spending time with your family, contributing to your work, hanging out with friends, listening to a podcast, or studying — there should be time slots in your calendar.”
Polish the engagement
The central idea conveyed here is the power to approach various tasks with a playful mindset. Games, including online ones, are characterized by an inherent element of unpredictability and variability, creating an environment where outcomes are uncertain.
“Instead of covering uncertainty with a spoonful of sugar, I offer to embrace it as part of the experience. Temporary rewards may suffice for singular tasks but are ineffective for sustained repetitive behavior. According to the self-determination theory, it’s the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic rewards, with the latter being more enduring.”
Finding intrinsic motivation is crucial in the pursuit of long-term behavior change. This involves deriving satisfaction from the activity to experience a flow state. Acknowledging and embracing uncertainty can help transform tasks into engaging activities, even if they aren't enjoyable.
The emphasis lies on fostering engagement to facilitate task completion rather than solely seeking pleasure. For instance, self-development apps like Headway may boost your journey toward your goals through a gamified approach involving badges, streaks, and challenges.
Frame the distractions by the 10-minute rule
The rule states that you can give in to any distraction after 10 minutes. It's like following a diet and feeling the urge to eat a piece of cake or quitting smoking and feeling the desire to smoke one cigarette. In all cases, you should say to yourself, "Okay. I can eat dessert, smoke a cigarette, check my email or social media. But not right now. I'll do it in 10 minutes."
If 10 minutes is too long, you can start with five or even two. By postponing the possibility of distraction and minimizing mind wandering, you develop a sense of self-will like a muscle. Over time, you realize that you can resist impulses. The 10-minute rule becomes the 15-minute rule, then the 20-minute rule.
If you still want to give up after the time is up, you can take a short break and do so. But for the most part, you are in the swing after the 10 minutes are up and don't want to be distracted.
Put your distractions aside
To foster your productivity and well-being and create a distraction-free workspace, try to declutter your mind as much as possible. Tracking internal triggers, competent calendar filling, and clear goals will help. “Indistractable” offers even more tips on overcoming distractions, mastering sustained attention, and developing habits that align with our values. Its tips are based on psychology, neurology, and behavioral economics. You can read the book summary in the Headway app.
