I grew up in the gap between the internet being A thing and being THE thing. I think that helped develop my sense of focus, but I admit that when I don’t have an urgent task, I can sometimes end up distracted by mundane activities like scrolling down my Facebook feed.
Considering this, I sometimes find myself wondering what it meant to be distracted before the days of Facebook notifications and text messaging. Is the digital age to blame for an increased scatter of focus, or were people 20+ years ago just more driven?
As it turns out, the case may be something else entirely.
Dr Larry Rosen is a Professor at the California State University whose research revolves around the impact of digital technology on the brain. He says that while technology certainly has much to do with distraction, it is the expectation of the distraction that’s to blame.
In an article for Psychology Today, Dr Rosen notes that when discussing the issue with students, he found that those who had the worst results in class were those who not only let themselves be distracted by technology, but those who were constantly anxious about their next interruption.
“…they also tell us that even without the sensory reminder they are constantly thinking internally, ‘I wonder if anyone commented on my Facebook post?’ or ‘I wonder if anyone responded to my text message I sent 5 minutes ago?’.”
The stress the students impose upon themselves resulted in a poorer performance than in the students who ignored their phones or social media accounts until a more appropriate opportunity arose.
THE MULTITASKING LIE
It seems like a simple issue, but one that manifests itself in different ways.
Consider multitasking. To be able to call yourself a multi-tasker is, apparently, something to be celebrated. However, might a multi-tasker simply be someone unwilling or unable to complete a single task before moving onto the next?
A PLOS article published in 2013 seemed to reveal that those who were best at multitasking were likely to be the people who didn’t multitask. Why? Because those were the people who were focused on doing their best rather than trying to prove they were good multi-taskers.
SOLVING THE PROBLEM
Dr Rosen’s suggestion for dealing with distraction is a ‘technology break’, where a person schedules a few minutes in between sections of intense focus to check their e-mails, Twitter feed etc.
It’s a great test of fortitude, and thus one that many are likely to fail. Besides, most of us need technology to do our jobs.
Instead, the solution could be to let technology do the work for you. Separate your personal e-mail from your business e-mail where possible. If that’s not practical, set up filters so that content that isn’t a priority during the work day – social media notifications, newsletters etc. – get sent to different folders that you can check in your free time.
You can also use different web browsers to keep your personal and business content apart. This won’t just help you keep focused, but means you are less likely to be thinking about work when it’s time to relax.
If you’re having a harder time disconnecting from certain websites, try a blocker like StayFocusd for Chrome which doesn’t just shut you off from sites entirely (unless you want it to), but limits your ability to view certain sites during the day. You can initially allow yourself 15 minutes to browse Pinterest, for instance, and then refine that number as you go along.
A final idea – one I touched on in my article on hobbies – is simply to find a balance. Most people get distracted when they’re even bored, or when they can’t decide where their time will be best spent. The answer is to change things up! Push your boundaries, find a creative outlet, and you won’t have the time to be distracted.