The Distraction Epidemic: What it is and how to fix it

The Distraction Epidemic: What it is and how to fix it

Here’s an interesting fact for you: during the pandemic, this question that people asked Google went up by 300%…

“How do I get my brain to work?”

Now, that may sound quite alarming! However, if you’ve noticed yourself feeling far more distracted than usual, or more distracted than how you remember feeling in the past, you are not alone.

The ‘distraction epidemic’ has been bubbling away for some time now in our modern culture. Yet research is starting to uncover some incredible data that gives reason to why we find it so hard to stay on task or do anything for longer than 15 minutes (if that!)

It’s not a new revelation that our daily lives have transformed vastly in the last decade or so. Our reliance on our smartphones and other technology, the rise and proliferation of social media platforms, the diversity of roles we take on, our switch to ‘virtual’ reliance; all of this has become very normalized.

How Technology and Devices Support Us:

• We can stay connected with friends and family all over the world
• We can order something online at the click of a button and have it appear at our door
• Being able to work remotely is now far more achievable
• We have maps, music, our bank accounts, our appointments, and everything we could ever want or need to know in the palm of our hands.

However, with convenience comes repercussions too. It’s no surprise that distraction and our inability to focus is at the top of the list of things that we have surrendered.

Think about a regular workplace job a decade or two ago: the traditional 9-5 in the office. Today, our roles have diversified, our workloads have increased, our hours have lengthened, many people are still working when they get home or being communicated with outside of traditional office hours.

Distraction facts for you to ponder…

• One study compared people multitasking at work, compared to working solely focused on one task. Those multitasking saw a 10-point fall in their IQ, which is double the impact of smoking marijuana has while working.
• Receiving 8 texts an hour has been shown to lower our focus on tasks by 30%.
• The average person’s mind wanders 47% of the time, according to a Harvard study, so nearly half the time you’re doing one thing, you’re thinking about something else.
• If you are working with less than 5 hours of sleep a night, your productivity and focus is the same as someone with a mild hangover.
• If you are in a flow state and distracted suddenly, it takes 23 minutes to return to that same level of productivity and focus. So while answering that private text message in the middle of your workday seems harmless, it could be costing you far more time than you realise.

Why always being ‘switched on’ is troublesome…

By adopting an always-on, anywhere, anytime behaviour, we exist in a constant state of alertness that scans the world but never really gives our full attention to anything. In the short term, we adapt well to these demands, but in the long term the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol places us in a physiological hyper-alert state that is always scanning for stimuli and input.

Take a moment now to think about how many times a day you check your phone. You may not think it is that often. However, studies show that Americans check their phones on average 96 times a day. That’s once every ten minutes.

These figures have been on the rise exponentially but increased even more evidently during the global pandemic. Forced to communicate with those we love online, working from home, shopping from home, entertaining ourselves from home- our time spent in the virtual world has skyrocketed.

Why Social Media is the most distracting…

What makes all this even trickier is that these devices and platforms that we use every single day are specifically programmed to keep us on them and to program us to check them frequently.

A recent survey revealed that social media is the leading cause of our distraction, with people spending an average of two hours on social media everyday.

This isn’t by chance. Social media platforms are designed in the same way that poker machines are designed- to make us never want to leave. Day in and day out we are fed a perfectly curated feed of information that has been designed for our unique interests and preferences.

Even the notifications, the likes and comments, the sound of an email landing in our inbox- these are programmed to keep us on our toes and coming back for more. These notifications release endorphins in our brains so we continue to spend even more time in our virtual worlds.

How to combat Distraction

The good news is that while it may feel challenging at first, the power really is in our hands when it comes to reclaiming our brain function and cognitive health.

It takes around 21 days for us to form a new habit. These tips below may require self-discipline, yet in no time at all you will surely feel your focus and concentration returning.

Combat Distraction with these tips:

Switch. It. Off.

Seems obvious right?! Did you know that 71% of the population never turn their phone off? Make time throughout the day to switch your phone off completely. It will eliminate the ability to pick it up and ‘quickly’ check things (which never happens!)

Switch off Notifications

If switching devices off completely isn’t possible, do your best to switch off as many notifications as you can. You can reduce those distracting dings, tweets and rings coming from your social media feeds, emails and text messages in the settings area of your devices. Only leave the ones that are absolutely necessary and even when you can, pop your phone on silence or aeroplane mode for even less distraction.

Manage your Apps

Start to remove any apps on your phone or desktop that are distracting you. Delete anything that you don’t want to be wasting time on. If you do keep social media on your phone, log out each time. Even the act of needing to log back in will make you think twice about whether you really need to be on there or not.

Find new apps

On the flip side, there are many wonderful apps available now that can support you in limiting your screen time or time on social media. This is a great article with app suggestions that can help you find more space and freedom from your devices- https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-apps-for-limiting-your-screen-time/

Prioritse sleep

When we are sleep deprived, focus and concentration fall even further by the wayside. Have you ever noticed you’re more likely to spend time (or waste time!) on your phone when you are tired? Prioritising sleep means you have more focus and more willpower. Switch of your screens at least 2 hours prior to sleeping to allow your natural sleep hormones to kick in – better sleep means better focus.

Try a lock box

This is by far the most highly recommended suggestion by leading experts in the field of distraction research. Get a lock box for your phone. This means popping the phone in the box and setting a timer for when you are allowed to access it again. 4 hours a day is a highly recommended period of time to give your phone a break.

Put it out of sight

If you can’t handle the idea of the lockbox, at least place your phone out of your line of vision and out of your arm’s reach when you are focusing on something. Studies show that even being able to see our phone is distracting for the brain. Try implementing a ‘no phone rule’ at the dinner table and by your bed too. This means more productivity at work, more conversations at home and better sleep each night.

Create the best environment

Wherever you are working from- remote or onsite, create the ideal environment for focus and concentration. Have a clear space- clear space means clear mind. Don’t clutter up your desk or workspace unnecessarily. Aim to have as minimal distraction as possible so that your eyes and thoughts don’t have extra stimuli to wander to.

Look at your diet

How we fuel ourselves plays a big role in our concentration and focus. While that coffee, soda or red bull may give you a quick hit, it also leaves you with a rather debilitating come down. Same with food- avoid sugar and empty carbs and opt for long-sustaining energy foods such as oats, bananas, avocados, wholegrains, pulses and nuts. Make sure you are properly hydrated too- dehydration is one of the leading causes of brain fog.

Meditation 

Meditation has been proven to be one of the most effective ways for us to train our brains to focus. Not only that, it helps to lower stress, boost mental clarity and improve our mood. If you’re struggling to focus, start a short daily meditation practice. This is a powerful way to create good habits and retrain your brain to be still.

Breathwork

Just like meditation, breathwork is another powerful way to focus the brain and stimulate productivity. Breathwork helps to switch the body into the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering stress and boosting cognitive functioning. Breathwork can be done anywhere, anytime and can be a great way to reset and recenter if you have been pulled off task.

Retreat!

If you need more than a few minutes off your device, a retreat is an incredibly powerful way to break old habits and kick start healthy new ones. A retreat is an easy way to dip your toes into a digital detox, because honestly, you won’t even think about checking your inbox during a retreat! Furthermore, having the opportunity to dive into practices such as yoga, meditation and breathwork, enjoying delicious healthy meals and sleeping soundly each night- these all train your body to return to its natural rhythms. You’ll immediately start to realise how much clarity and focus you have for the things that truly matter in life. Time off your devices and in ‘real life’ will remind you of all the energy and clarity you have as well as highlighting the things in life that truly matter.

We hope these tips will help you to bring more focus and concentration back into your life. Remember, energy goes where attention flows: make sure what you’re focusing on matters.