It’s common to feel easily distracted in the world that we live in today. It’s almost feels inevitable with the ability and power to access information in a matter of milliseconds at our fingertips aka our phones.
Constant social media posts have us glued to our phone for probably more than some of us care to admit. Whether it’s finding out the latest gossip, looking for the next funny video to share with friends, or just mindlessly scrolling and liking pictures. It seems is as if people have perfected the art of capturing our attention. And just like majority of millennials our phones may be our biggest distraction when it comes to getting things done and being productive.
Have you ever just gone through your phone and without even thinking, you go to your favorite social media app? You may even catch yourself, close out and then a few minutes later find yourself opening the app again and not realizing why. Social media can be one of the biggest distractions in today’s day and age.
There’s always a cost to pay, and with social media its usually your time and focus.
People sometimes spend hours scrolling away on social media or binging on TV shows. Studies show that the average amount of time spent on social media has risen to 145 minutes per day and continues to rise. When you’re out and about how many times do you see people’s gazes fixated to their portable screens.
Social media has become a part of people’s everyday lives. Not to say social media is bad, I believe in enjoying entertainment. But when it affects my productivity and focus then something needs to be done. I like to refer to the saying” Everything in moderation”.
Out Of Sight Out Of Mind – Distraction Blockers
Try placing your phone out of direct sight. Maybe in a drawer, in another room, or somewhere hard to reach. Out of sight out of mind is is such a true statement when it comes to being distracted. I’ve had times where I’ll work on a task, then catch myself looking for my phone to check something in that instance of boredom or needing of a break.
Not having my phone around helps me stay disciplined to work through the task and get it done. You wouldn’t believe how fast you can complete a task, when you are paying full attention and limiting your distractions. You allow yourself to take shorter yet more valuable breather to realign your focus, leading to better productivity.
If you still feel that you are drawn to your phone and find yourself enjoying walking into the other room, then time to step our game up. If you aren’t expecting any important calls, it may be time to give the three-finger salute and power that baby off. Cutting of your phone is a sure way to reduce the temptation of going to check on your phone.
The instant gratification has left the building, the distracted you has subsided.
Make It Harder To Access – Distraction Vault
If you do need your phone nearby and can’t afford to put it in another room or turn it off.
Delete the app off your phone when you need to be focused and productive. This is another highly effective way reduce getting distracted and to gain your focus and accomplish the tasks ahead. Make it more difficult for yourself to get onto these apps. You might even feel a little lighter getting a mental break from the app, knowing it’s off your phone, at least I know I do.
If you have an iPhone, you can simply use Screen Time to set limits on how long you can access an app and what times are restricted. On the other hand, if you have an Android, make sure to use Digital Wellbeing to help you accomplish the same goal.
Let me know down below in the comments if you tried any of these methods and how they worked out for you! Additionally, if you have a method that I didn’t list that helps you stay focused and free from distraction. I’d love to hear about please share below!