How many times throughout the day does your phone “ping” with a new notification? The next question is, how often do you check to see if that message you just received is important? If you are like me, the answer is “Too many times.” It takes self-discipline to resist this urge.

Research shows that we waste eight hours a week being distracted by our supposed digital friends: mobile phones, tablets, computers, emails, social media, and online videos.

It can be hard to resist the temptation to take a peak at that new notification that just came in or check to see if anyone has liked or commented on your latest post.

My phone consistently told me that I had a new message, email, comment, follower, or like. The desire to check all of this out was so strong. When working on my computer, I would consistently check Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. Something had to change because I got frustrated with myself. I wanted to be more focused and less affected by the incessant distractions of the digital world.

In this post, I will let you know what I have done to build my self-discipline but let’s begin by understanding why we get so caught up in the distractions.

Identifying the triggers

According to psychological studies, digital distractions stem from a variety of factors:

  • Procrastination
  • Boredom
  • Fear of missing out (on some news, information, or participation in an event or activity)
  • A need for social connection
  • Craving
  • Intimacy
  • A lack of self-control.

The distractions can be caused by outside influences such as a notification, an email, or having your digital device within reach. There are also internal facets such as putting off starting a challenging task or boredom that contribute to your desire to jump online or check your social media accounts,

In my case, it was a combination of boredom and a desire to see how many likes and followers I had gained on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. On top of that, I would find myself checking my email several times a day. I realized that the motivation behind this was that I wanted to feel like I was important and had something worth contributing to the online world. That is, it was a self-esteem issue that drove me to be digitally distracted.

The cost of being digitally distracted

With cost, I don’t necessarily mean in financial terms, though that is a part of the problem. As I mentioned in the introduction, an entire workday is wasted each week due to our perceived need to respond to every message, notification, and email that comes our way. How much that costs you in monetary terms is up to you to calculate.

It’s the mental and emotional toll that we need to consider. There are numerous excuses we could give to support our digital distraction. Yet the question you need to really ask yourself is: Why do I allow my attention to be diverted? How is this affecting me?

Procrastination can lead to frustration and stress because you know that, eventually, you will have to do that job/task/project that you have ignored in favor of the digital world.

The fear of missing out could be due to self-esteem issues that you have yet to acknowledge. A need to connect with others digitally may indicate a hidden desire to seek social interaction. Of course, some people with social anxiety do find it hard to interact with others offline and in the real world.

Quality time with your spouse/partner can be affected due to you showing more interest in responding to notifications, emails, or other messages. I had to face this situation due to my own need to communicate with others while out with my spouse.

Even getting a good night’s rest can be impacted due to the distractions that you so readily succumb to. A lack of sleep can result in poor decision-making, an increase in forgetfulness, slower reaction times (which can be an issue if you drive or operate machinery), and a decrease in emotional regulation.  Physically, improper sleep has been linked to health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

So, though you may see an inherent value of being digitally distracted, there is an overall price you are paying by succumbing to the habit. If you are seeking to reform this behavior, there are a bunch of strategies that can help.

Freedom from distractions

In the mornings my routine was to get up, make a coffee and breakfast then check all the notifications that had appeared while I was sleeping. By the way, sometimes, when I woke up during the night (an occurrence that typically happens several times) I would have a quick glance at my tablet which was next to my pillow. Heck, maybe someone replied to one of my social media posts!

Throughout the day I would look at my phone during the many downtimes that I had. Then, it dawned on me…I have a problem with digital distractions.

The motivations that drove my behavior were a longing to be accepted by my peers, fear of missing out, and procrastination. With that awareness, I decided to change my habits.

Now, my phone is always on silent mode, as are my tablets. During the weekend my phone is out of reach and with my tablets I have switched off 99% of the notifications. There are a couple of times a day in which I check my emails and social media accounts. If a message needs responding to, I will do it immediately.

Let’s break down some of the techniques I use that can help build self-discipline over digital distractions.

Switch off your notifications

Nowadays every app and every social media platform is vying for your attention. Sometimes the notifications are switched on by default and you may think that it’s important for you to be informed of that reply back to your post, or how much you have missed out on by not playing that game you have installed on your phone or tablet.

Take a look at all the notifications you receive each day and then ask yourself: Are they that necessary? You’ll be amazed at how irrelevant they are. That’s why I have gone through and turned off all but about 1% of my notifications. I still want to know when an email comes through because that’s important to me. The fact that I haven’t played Candy Crush for a couple of days isn’t at the top of my priority list.

Out of sight

If you don’t have access to your phone or other digital device, then there is no temptation to lead you astray from what you are doing. You can focus on the task at hand and give it your undivided attention.

Put your devices in a location where you can’t see them, then you won’t be thinking about them. As the saying goes “Out of sight, out of mind”.

I mentioned that my phone is set aside during the weekend. Why is that? It’s because I want a respite from it as a means of contact. That doesn’t mean I am unreachable, it merely is my way of distancing myself from the phone as a distraction.

Dedicate digital time

Instead of interrupting your work with periods of digital interference, set aside a couple of times a day in which you give yourself full freedom to indulge in your online world and social media accounts.

I usually check my emails and messages in the morning and once again in the evening. Outside of those times I ignore any form of digital distractions.

When doing computer work I have disciplined myself to finish the goal I have set for myself. Only then do I give myself the freedom to engage in some social media, YouTube, or TikTok time.

Whatever time of day you dedicate to your digital world depends on your schedule. What works for me may not necessarily suit your lifestyle.

Delete accounts

How many social media accounts do you still hang onto that you no longer use? I used to be an avid Twitter user, but that petered out. There were a few other social networking sites I belonged to but never engaged in them. The result was me deleting those sites that no longer served my purpose or lost interest in.

Take time to contemplate how many online communities you are a member of yet don’t have any real involvement in them. Do you still get emails, messages, or notifications from these redundant sites? It’s time for a clearout…delete your accounts!

Detox digitally

This world is becoming increasingly interconnected and notifications from your apps, social media accounts and other online services can interfere with your productivity. Consider what the real purpose is behind allowing yourself to be distracted by the digital world: is it a fear of missing out? Maybe it’s a way for you to waste time rather than tackle that next project that’s staring you in the face.

Once you have figured out your trigger, then you can take action to develop self-discipline around the distractions. Switch off all notifications or hide your devices. Reward yourself with some online time once you have finished your goals for the day.

You could go extreme and give yourself a digital detox. No online contact whatsoever. When you do you will be surprised at how much more you get done throughout the day and, trust me, you will feel better because you understand that all that the digital world and its sparkly notifications are mostly superficial.

Allow yourself to be distraction-free. Start with small steps (bye-bye notifications) and then take things from there. Enjoy a distraction-free life! I do! It’s amazingly peaceful.

 

 – Brian Simms