Tips to Clear Digital Confusion

An inconvenient truth: Notifications are NOT the problem. They’re just the tip of the iceberg. The real issue? The habit of mindlessly checking your phone. Over and over again. It’s not the ping. It’s the pull. I’ve had (most of) my notifications off since 2020. Yet I still catch myself reaching for my phone with no real reason. Just...habit. Notifications are an easy scapegoat. But the real trigger lives deeper—in your brain’s reward loops. _______ A 2022 study from the London School of Economics found that only 11% of phone checks are triggered by notifications. The other 89%? - No external prompt. - No conscious decision. - Just automatic behavior. I call these "digital snacks" Quick, mindless phone check-ins that: → Last just minutes but likely steal hours from your week → Rewire your brain for constant distraction → Happen so fast, you don’t even notice And they’re more harmful than they look. These micro-interruptions: → Fragment attention → Drain cognitive resources → Create addiction loops in your brain → Ruin relationships (potentially) But you can take back control. Try this: 👉 Keep your phone physically out of reach ↳ Put it in another room during focus time ↳ Store it in a drawer or bag when not needed 👉 Make Airplane Mode your default state ↳ Forces a moment of intention before use ↳ Saves battery life as a bonus 👉 Replace digital snacks with exercise snacks ↳ Try 10 push-ups or body squats instead ↳ Deep breathing or stretching 👉 Create tech-free zones in your home ↳ Especially your bedroom and dining area Digital wellbeing isn't about demonizing technology. It's about being intentional in how you use it. _______ 👋 Hi! I’m George. 💻 I help remote tech professionals build healthier relationships with their screens. 📬 Subscribe now to the Screen Smarter newsletter to reclaim time, energy, and focus. Link below my name. GIF Source: Pudgy Penguins on Giphy

Ever feel like you’re working hard but nothing actually moves? That’s the hidden tax of context-switching and most of us pay it all day long. Research shows it can take up to 23 minutes to climb back into deep focus after even a quick “got a sec?” ping. Multiply that by every Slack, email, and calendar pop-up and you’ll see why the day disappears. Here’s how I cut that tax to almost zero ⬇️ 1. Normalize asynchronous communication Urgency is rarely real. I tell my team: reply when you’re out of deep work, not the second a bubble lights up. It kills the always-on anxiety for everyone. 2. Park tasks outside your head Parking lot > To-dos. If a thought might boomerang while you’re in flow, capture it. Notebook, voice memo, Notion.....anything beats letting it rent space in your brain or causing you to jump from your current focus. 3. Batch, block and box Task batching: answer all email in one swoop Replying to LinkedIn comments at one time Time blocking: label calendar chunks “deep work,” “meetings,” “admin” Time boxing: Give each task a finish line before you start Structure beats willpower every time. 4. Remove the obvious distractions One tab. One window. One screen. Close what you know will drag you into a different head-space before it even tries. I literally ONLY have 1 tab open at a time. What do you think? Which of these is the hardest for you? Start here and you’ll buy back hours of true focus every week.

We’ve all been there — the compulsive need to respond to every email, check every Slack channel, and scan every Figma file. It's as if our professional worth depends on being omnipresent in the digital world. The reality is, we’re fighting a constant battle for our attention, with endless notifications and distractions vying to pull us away from what truly matters. Protecting and prioritizing your attention is the most important thing you can do for your focus and well-being. But this constant state of alertness comes at a cost: your focus, energy, and ability to lead. Here’s the hard truth: You can’t do it all, and more importantly, you shouldn’t try to. The most effective leaders and innovators excel not by being everywhere, but by making purposeful tradeoffs and reclaiming control over their time and energy. I learnt it the hard way too! So here are some actionable tips (which I have been personally experimenting with) on how to trade FOMO for FOCUS: 🔄 Identify Your Non-Negotiables What directly impacts your goals? Focus there first. Be intentional about how you spend your time. 🛡️ Recognize Your Energy Drains Not every task is worth your mental bandwidth. Cut or delegate the noise. Saying no can be the most effective tool in arsenal. 🌈 Spot Growth Opportunities Lean into activities that stretch you and contribute to long-term success. In the end, what will matter most is how much you’ve grown. 🌐 Build an Information Triage System Set boundaries, prioritize inputs, and practice strategic ignorance — trust that critical information will find its way to you. The result? Less stress, more space for deep work, and stronger leadership. You’ll focus on what truly matters, rather than reacting to every ping and notification. ✨ Pro Tip: Next time you feel the urge to check that email or notification, pause and ask: “Is this the best use of my attention right now?”

Screen time is killing your ability to achieve your goals. I cut mine from 6+ hours to 1.5 / day. That led to more revenue, more time with loved ones, and more happiness. Here are the 7 tips I used to get my attention back: Context: Screen Time ≠ Success I used to think that being "always on" was a good thing. But I began to realize that my phone wasn't just distracting. It was making me miserable. 6 months ago, I decided to cut my screen time. It's led to more $$$ and more meaningful time. 1. Set Your Intentions Having a strong "why" is key to success. Ask yourself: How do I feel on days with heavy screen use? What do I gain from screen time? What am I giving up by spending this much time scrolling? Journaling on these is a great starting point. 2. Physical Distance This is the single, easiest way to reduce your screen time. And you only need to follow two rules: Don't look at your phone for 60 mins after waking Put your phone in another room while you're working Those 2 rules cut my screen time by 50%. 3. Remove All Time-Sucking Apps Your phone should be a tool, not an entertainment source. Delete your social media apps. But also delete Slack and email if you can. You'll find ways to replace the "fun" apps. And you can save Slack / email for when you're at your desk. 4. Turn Off Your Notifications First, turn off badges (the little red dot) for every app besides your texts and phone. Second, set up Do Not Disturb to run all day. This lets you set a favorites list that can still contact you, but forces everything else to wait. 5. Use Grayscale A black and white screen is boring to use. Boring devices make it easier for you to separate. First, head to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters. Then toggle Color Filters on and select Grayscale. 6. Leverage Resources! Having systems and expert advice is helpful in any new journey. My two favorite resources were: How To Break Up With Your Phone - Catherine Price How To Configure Your iPhone To Work For You, Not Against You - Tony Stubblebine 7. Set Your Expectations Changing habits is tough. Especially ones as ingrained as screen time is in our lives. The first few days are hard. But if you work through those? You'll find that your productivity, mental health, and happiness will all drastically improve. —— ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more 🔵 Ready to land your dream job? Click here to learn more about how we help people land amazing jobs in ~15.5 weeks with a $44k raise: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

8 Daily Chaos Sources Top Performers Overcome. (and How to Eliminate Them) Chaos slows you down. Here’s how top performers manage it: 1/ Constant Notifications ↳ Chaos: Pings and messages disrupt focus. ↳ Solution: Turn off non-essential notifications. Batch-check emails. 2/ Unclear Priorities ↳ Chaos: Jumping between tasks wastes time. ↳ Solution: Start with a top 3 priority list. 3/ Endless Meetings ↳ Chaos: Back-to-back meetings drain energy. ↳ Solution: Push for shorter, agenda-driven meetings. Block focus time. 4/ Decision Fatigue ↳ Chaos: Too many decisions wear you out. ↳ Solution: Automate small choices. Save energy for key decisions. 5/ Multitasking ↳ Chaos: Task-switching reduces efficiency. ↳ Solution: Focus on one task at a time. Work in time blocks. 6/ Digital Clutter ↳ Chaos: Messy inboxes waste time. ↳ Solution: Declutter your digital space. Use folders and filters. 7/ Lack of Boundaries ↳ Chaos: Interruptions and overcommitting drain productivity. ↳ Solution: Set clear boundaries. Learn to say “no.” 8/ Poor Sleep & Energy Management ↳ Chaos: Low energy affects focus and performance. ↳ Solution: Prioritize sleep, hydration, and movement. PS: Which one are you working on first? Share below! 👇 ♻️ Share this with your network to help others avoid chaos. ➕ Follow James Kamanski for more content like this.

The $37,000 blind spot: Everyone's selling productivity tools. No one's talking about noise management. 🎯 You sit down to work… and before you know it, it’s 5:47 PM. Another day gone. No real thinking. Just reacting. 📉 23 minutes lost after each interruption 📱 2.1 hours a day to digital noise 😵 47% of time spent on autopilot Distraction has a cost. And it’s not just time. It’s clarity, creativity, and control. The most successful leaders aren’t the busiest. They’re the best at filtering what gets through. 8 noise management strategies that actually work: 1️⃣ Protect your prime hours → Figure out when your brain is sharpest. → Block that time like a VIP meeting. → Save busywork for your low-energy windows. 2️⃣ Use the “Not Now” reflex → “This deserves more focus. Can we schedule it?” → “I’m in deep work. Can it wait until 2?” → Deferring is strategic. Not rude. 3️⃣ Design your phone for focus → Turn it grayscale. → Keep only one attention-grabbing app visible. → Bury the rest in folders. 4️⃣ Build focus infrastructure → Create separate spaces for thinking vs. reacting. → Use different desktops or browser profiles. → Keep Slack and inboxes off your creative workspace. 5️⃣ Protect your signal-to-noise ratio → Mute half your newsletters. → Unfollow accounts that drain instead of inspire. → Read less. Think more. 6️⃣ Audit your interruptions → Track what breaks your flow for 2 days. → Find the biggest offenders. → Eliminate your top 3 distractions. No mercy. 7️⃣ Batch routine work → Reply to emails and messages in blocks. → Turn off the red dot. → Instant replies aren’t your job description. 8️⃣ Move to reset → Step outside for 10 minutes without your phone. → Walk the block or stretch between tasks. → Movement breaks the mental swirl. The truth? In a world of infinite input, Your filters are your future. What’s one distraction you’re cutting this week? Share in the comments. --- ♻ Repost to help someone else stop drowning in distractions. 👉 Follow me, Stephanie Eidelman (Meisel), for leadership insights that cut through the noise.

High performance isn’t about hustle. It’s about focus. Here’s the truth most people don’t say out loud: If your attention is scattered, your results will be too. Distractions are everywhere. But your focus? That’s your real superpower. So how do you take it back? Here’s your cheat sheet to reset and refocus: 1/ The Rule of One * One task at a time * Multitasking kills quality 2/ Time-Block Like a Pro * 90-minute deep work blocks * Built-in breaks = burnout protection 3/ Declutter Digital Space * Close tabs * Silence pings * Go full Do Not Disturb 4/ Design for Focus * Clean your desk * Use noise-canceling headphones * Light matters. so does air 5/ The 4W Clarity Journal * Write down: Win | War | Weapon | Wonder 6/ Try a 5-Minute Reset * Step away * Breathe slow * Reboot your nervous system 7/ Use the 2-Minute Rule * <2 mins? Do it now * Clear small clutter fast 8/ No-Scroll Timer * Time-limit social & email * Don’t let dopamine win 9/ Bookend Your Days * AM + PM routines = daily structure * Rituals build rhythm 10/ End with a Focus Audit * What stole your focus today? * What will you change tomorrow? Distraction is default. Focus is a decision. Which of these are you making part of your daily flow? Follow me Jon Giganti for more on how to build clarity, grow revenue, and lead with intention (without burning out or selling out)

5 ways to say “NO” to seductive distractions. Has anyone else felt like their focus has been scattered? The average human attention span has dropped to 8 seconds, less than a goldfish. In a world designed to capture and monetize your attention, each notification, each "quick check" of your inbox, and each scroll through social media distract you from your purpose and toward lost productivity. This weekend, I was reminded of Homer’s Odyssey, in which Odysseus is sailing back home, but he has to sail past the island of the Sirens, whose songs lure sailors to their deaths. Odysseus wanted to hear their melody but also to survive and return home to his family. He had his crew tie him to the ship’s mast while they plugged their ears with wax so they couldn’t hear the Sirens. As they sailed past, Odysseus begged to be released, completely enchanted by the Sirens' call, but his preparations saved him. Like Odysseus, our temptation to veer off course is constant. The cost of giving in to modern distractions is enormous. Our modern "Sirens" look different: the endless scroll of social media, the constant ping of notifications, the rabbit hole of "quick research" that turns into an hour lost, the "urgent" matters that aren't important. These Sirens call to us daily, promising immediate gratification, connection, or the illusion of productivity. And each day, we must decide if we allow ourselves to be taken off course or reach our goals. Here are 5 ways to re-focus: 1. Identify your distractions What consistently pulls you off course? Is it scrolling or checking your email every few minutes, or the constant ping of notifications? 2. Create distance Like Odysseus's crew putting wax in their ears, sometimes complete avoidance is the best strategy.  Delete apps, use website blockers, or turn on Do Not Disturb mode during deep work. 3. Set boundaries Odysseus had himself tied to the mast. Schedule specific times to check email and social media, use the Pomodoro technique, or create a distraction-free workspace. 4. Get help Odysseus couldn't have survived without his loyal crew. Find an accountability partner or use apps that track and report on your focus time. 5. Reconnect with purpose. Odysseus never lost sight of his goal, which was to reach Ithaca. What's your Ithaca?  Start each day by writing down your most meaningful goal to keep your true destination in focus. Do you struggle with focus, and if not, how do you keep yourself on course? I’ve started a time audit today to get myself back on track. I know I haven’t been honest about where I spend my time. Share your strategies below.  _______________________ Did you enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network, follow me, and join my email community for more content, free resources, and tips on living the width of your life. #LivetheWidth #Productivity #Focus

12 steps to protect your focus - And develop a deep work routine: (5 and 6 are so important) 1) Prioritize ↳Before you begin, pick just 1 task you want to work on (no multitasking) ↳Choose your "frog" - the important item you've been putting off 2) Protect the time ↳Find a window of at least 1 hour (2-3 is even better) and block it on your calendar ↳Experiment to find the time when you're most productive and focused 3) Find a space ↳Choose a location where you can close the door and limit distractions ↳Ask others not to interrupt you when you're in there 4) Prepare ↳Download files and gather resources you'll need to complete the work ↳Go to the bathroom, grab a water, and anticipate any other needs 5) Put your phone away ↳Switch your phone to airplane mode and put it out of reach ↳Do NOT look at it until you're finished - that friend's text can wait 6) Shut apps  ↳Close anything on your computer that has notifications, like email and Slack ↳X out of any distracting tabs like news sites or social media 7) Grab a pen and pad ↳It's impossible to stop to-dos and other thoughts from popping into your head ↳Simply write them down when you think of them and then move on 8) Use headphones ↳If you're particularly sensitive to sound, try noise-canceling headphones ↳Find what's best for you: playing nothing at all, white noise, or music without lyrics 9) Clear your mind ↳When everything is ready, pause before diving in to briefly relax ↳You can simply close your eyes and breathe, or do a 1-minute meditation 10) Use a timer ↳Set a timer so you don't have to worry about watching the clock ↳Experiment with techniques like Pomodoro to work and break in intervals 11) Improve ↳After every time you do deep work, reflect on what helped and hurt your focus ↳Make improvements each time to consistently enhance your productivity 12) Handle the basics ↳Exhaustion, hunger, and lack of exercise can be even worse for focus than your phone ↳Get adequate sleep, eat well, and move your body every day Just two hours of deep work can beat a full day of distracted work. Use this checklist to focus deeply on your most important tasks, And turbocharge your productivity. P.S. I'm always curious to hear: When do you get your best deep work done? --- ♻ Repost to help your network be more productive. And follow me George Stern for more. If you want the high-res PDF of this sheet, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gpe6Q3V6

Four quick ways to dramatically reduce distractions: (Pick just one and you'll still benefit!) Pick up your phone and: 1. Adjust your colorful screen to grayscale. 2. Disable most notifications. Batch others. 3. Set daily time limits by app/app category. 4. Put your phone out of reach and/or sight. People often tell me they struggle to focus. It's something I'd noticed increasingly in myself, too. And then I realized I could greatly improve my focus by setting myself up for focus by removing distractions. Which both increase focus and reduce stress. So last year I began with notifications. Removing the super random ones, and batching most of the rest into three chosen times: 9am, 3pm, 7pm. I then reduced the color on my screen. Full grayscale didn't display well in certain apps but subtle color did. And finally I set the app/phone time limits. And when I did I realized I often hit them before 10am. Yikes. Do I override the limits sometimes? YES. But when I do I now put the phone down much faster. I also kept a handful of notifications - eg family texts - real time. As we begin a new week, if you've found yourself distracted, which of these will you try? And what have I missed? If this post resonated, you can help others see it with your reactions, comments & reposts. Together we can improve our focus - and overall wellbeing. *** Hi, I'm Sally! Click follow (+) for more on workplace wellbeing, personal growth, human resilience, meaningful connection, cancer survivorship & more. #wellbeing #technology #productivity