What nobody tells you about focus
The distractions will always be there. The key is learning to work with them rather than letting them lead.
I've been thinking about distractions lately, and here's a confession: I spent 20 minutes this morning changing colour of my Substack button instead of writing this post. Why? Because my brain will apparently do literally anything to avoid focused work.
Today, we're exploring distraction, distracted mind and the tendency to procrastinate – a reflection sparked by Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal, and Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky.
Let me share a mistake that taught me something valuable: I used to believe that distractions were external – the notifications, the meetings, the constant parade of "urgent" interruptions. But after diving deep into the research (and, let's be honest, my own procrastination habits), I've discovered something fascinating: The Science of Scattered Attention
This got me curious, so I dove into the research, and here's what fascinating studies reveal: Loughborough University study found that frequent email checkers had lower IQ scores than their less obsessive counterparts. Let that sink in. Every time we check our inbox, we're essentially giving ourselves a temporary lobotomy. (I don't know about you, but this explains a lot about my Monday mornings.)
Personal Experiment Notes:
When I tracked my interruptions for a week, I discovered I was checking email an average of 37 times per day
My "quick social media checks" were adding up to nearly 2 hours daily
The most surprising finding? 70% of my distractions were self-imposed
Here's what nobody tells you about focus: Your brain is literally working against you. It's not your fault – we're hardwired to seek novelty and instant gratification. That's why:
24% of young professionals spend at least an hour daily on social media during work hours (though let's be real – we all know it's probably more)1
The average person wastes 31 hours monthly in unproductive meetings (that's an entire season of your favorite Netflix show!)
Multitasking, despite what we tell ourselves, reduces productivity by up to 40% (ouch)
The question I'm still sitting with is: What if our distractions aren't the enemy?
Let's challenge this assumption together: The myth that being constantly available equals being productive.
Here are five non-fiction books that can help you fight off distractions.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
This book is a perfect fit as it dives into the concept of deep, uninterrupted work and strategies to overcome the constant pull of distractions. You can explore how your strategies align with Newport's framework or expand on how modern workplace distractions undermine "deep work."Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal
Eyal’s book addresses the exact challenges you're tackling, offering practical techniques to regain control of attention. You could discuss how your suggestions complement or build upon his four-part strategy for becoming indistractable.
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
This book emphasises the importance of focus and prioritising the most important task. You could link your strategies to the concept of focusing on "one thing" despite distractions.
Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky
This is an actionable, relatable book full of strategies to minimise distractions. Its lighthearted tone matches your article's voice, making it a great companion.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Since forming habits to manage distractions is critical, Clear's ideas about habit stacking and environment design could complement your advice on creating a writing fortress.