Focused work in a hyper-connected world: How to minimize distractions from technology

According to the Economist, focused, deep work “[…] is the killer app of the knowledge economy: it is only by concentrating intensely that you can master a difficult discipline or solve a demanding problem.”

Put differently, the ability to focus is the superpower of the modern knowledge worker. It allows us to tackle our most important tasks in our best condition – the flow state, in which we’re up to five times more productive.

However, the rings and pings from our devices reliably prevent a deeply focused state. Studies show that it takes our minds 23 minutes to refocus on a task after an interruption – including “just quickly checking” anything, even for one-tenth of a second.

As a result, minimizing distractions from your devices during focus bouts is vital. The first device is the one you will try to focus on: your computer. First, if you need to do online research for your focused work, make sure to do that before starting. Second, as most distractions come from being online, turn off the internet. If that’s not possible, shut down your e-mail, group chat, and all other programs you do not need for your focused work.

The second device you should minimize distractions from is the biggest “weapon of mass distraction” in the arsenal: your smartphone. First, turn off notifications that you don’t need to see the second they come in – for me personally, that’s all notifications, which works miracles for focused work. Then, unmute your smartphone so people can still call you in cases of urgency. Second, put your smartphone out of reach, ideally into another room.

That’s it. You just learned 80% of how to minimize distraction from technology at work. You’re welcome. (I freely adopted that last paragraph from writer Scott Adams).

Pro tip: Use focus tools such as Freedom. These are app and website blockers that rigorously block most distractions, including e-mail, distracting websites and social media. They’re highly customizable: First, you can modify the length of your focus bout, such as 60-90 minutes. Second, you can edit your blocklists by including your favorite go-to distraction – or excluding resources you might need for your work, such as doing research.