To reduce errors, save time, and lower stress, focus on completing one task before moving to the next, thereby avoiding the negative “switch costs” associated with rapid attention shifts.
Ensure you get sufficient sleep, regular exercise, and adequate breaks to maintain strong executive function, which is crucial for staying focused and resisting distractions.
Identify your personal peak times for focused attention and intentionally schedule your most demanding, creative work during these periods, reserving less intensive tasks for “valley” times.
Incorporate periods of “yohaku nobi” or empty space into your day for respite, allowing your mind to rest through meditation, contemplation, or walks, which can enhance performance.
Develop “meta-awareness” by constantly questioning unconscious urges to switch tasks or check devices, asking “Do I really need to do this now?” and “Am I still getting value?” to guide intentional behavior.
Imagine your desired future self and how you want to feel at the end of the day (e.g., fulfilled, relaxed, accomplished) with concrete detail, using this vision as a “North Star” to guide your actions and maintain focus.
Continuously remind yourself of both your task goals (what you want to accomplish) and emotional goals (how you want to feel) throughout the day to direct your attention and stay on track.
Beyond task-oriented objectives, establish clear emotional goals for the day, such as feeling rewarded or happy, and let these guide your choices to avoid stress and exhaustion.
Physically separate yourself from distracting devices (e.g., leave phone in another room) or bury distracting apps on your device to make them harder to access and reduce impulsive use.
Be aware of the “sunk cost trap” in online activities; if you’ve invested time but are no longer gaining benefit, stop and disengage, even if it feels like wasted prior effort.
Guard against misjudging the true value or underestimating the time commitment of online activities, as these “framing errors” can lead to excessive time spent without proportional benefit.
Engage in short, easy “rote activities” (e.g., simple online games) to relax and replenish mental resources when deeply focused work is taxing, especially if a full break from devices isn’t possible.
If you use rote activities on a device for a break, set a timer to prevent getting caught in an “attention trap” and overspending time.
Reduce interruptions by “batching email,” checking it only at select times during the day (e.g., before/after lunch, end of day), and note that some emails may resolve themselves if left for a short period.
If the “Zygarnik effect” causes unfinished tasks (like unchecked emails) to persistently bug you, consider addressing them quickly to clear your mental plate before engaging in deep work.
Instead of relying on temporary “digital detoxes,” focus on fundamentally changing your long-term practices and mindset for using technology more intelligently and sustainably to avoid stress and exhaustion.
Understand that continuous, long-term focus is unsustainable due to the brain’s limited cognitive capacity, necessitating regular breaks and periods of disengagement.
Recognize that distractions are not solely due to notifications or lack of willpower, but stem from a complex “socio-technical world” involving social rewards, sophisticated algorithms, and the internet’s design.
Form a clear plan to delay gratification, such as committing to focused work for a set duration before allowing yourself a desired distraction as a reward.
Understand that taking breaks is not wasted time; it allows for mental incubation, helping to solve tough problems and approach them with fresh eyes and renewed resources.
Utilize mindfulness meditation to cultivate present-moment awareness, which can enhance your ability to channel attention and recognize urges and distractions when interacting with devices.
For analytical knowledge work, don’t expect to consistently achieve a “flow state”; instead, find reward and fulfillment in deliberate, focused analytical thinking.
Employers should institute “quiet time” periods (e.g., a couple of hours daily) where electronic communications are paused, allowing employees to focus deeply on work without interruption.
Employers or policymakers should implement “the right to disconnect” policies to protect employees from work communications after hours, promoting psychological detachment, better sleep, and renewed engagement.
Employers should provide and encourage the use of exercise facilities and regular breaks for employees, recognizing that this fosters creativity, happiness, and long-term productivity.
For virtual meetings, allocate dedicated time (e.g., 5-10 minutes) at the beginning for informal social interaction and check-ins to foster connection and allow for mental transition between tasks.
Parents should consciously model responsible device use, as children will imitate their behavior; avoid ignoring children while engrossed in your phone.
When limiting children’s screen time, actively replace it with engaging alternative activities (e.g., reading, outdoor play) to ensure they find other enjoyable and fulfilling experiences.
Delay providing young children with smartphones and consider forming pacts with other parents to collectively limit screen and smartphone access, mitigating peer pressure.