We’ve all done it. Sucked into a vortex of mindless browsing.
It’s been an escape during lockdowns. An acceptable distraction from the never-ending screen time and monotony. But it’s not good. I’ve spent literally days researching everything from coffee machines, coffee grinders, DJ equipment, nuclear power stations, cars, mobile phones and laptops to training courses, holidays and films.
This is time I could have spent doing something useful and meaningful. Sound familiar? We’re all digitally distracted to some extent and rapidly losing the ability to focus. So, what to do? There’s a few simple strategies you can try.
1. Recognise When You’re in a Hole
The first step is to know when you’re falling in. Awareness is key. A lot of the time it’s automatic: you start browsing without thinking from a social post, website or link in an email. There’s a lot of clickbait out there. You know what it looks like. STOP!
Easier said than done, I know. A few things you can do to help are:
- Ask yourself ‘does this link/thing help me with where I want to be in life or is it a distraction?’. If the answer is no, move on.
- Mindfulness – this helps to improve your awareness and focus. It really works. There are a number of excellent apps you can try, Headspace and Calm are just two that are worth exploring and they offer free trials. Time spent doing this is a good investment and has certainly helped me.
- Banish ads from your web browser – software like uBlock Origin is good for this. Alternatively you can use a browser like Brave that reduces the ability of big tech companies to track you – and serve targeted advertising.
The principle here is about being able to recognise when you’re falling into this habit and stopping yourself. If this is too difficult, the next tip might help.
2. Set Limits on Apps
You can set time limits for iOS and Android apps each day. My worst offender is YouTube – I’ve set it to 45mins a day. Once you get there it shuts you out. You can set limits on anything – TikTok, Facebook, Twitter – whatever is taking up your time.
Turn off notifications for the apps you use most. Learn to choose when to use apps rather than letting them use you. This can be a game-changer.
You can also block websites from your browser – on mobile and desktop. There are a number of apps that can do this for you: BlockSite, StayFocused, Limit, LeechBlock, to name a few. You can specify sites and time periods.
If these approaches don’t work you can step it up to…
3. Delete Apps From Your Device
This is a bold move but it definitely works. News apps, shopping apps, social media services, games – get rid of them. You can also try going onto flight mode or putting the device somewhere out of reach.
Another point related to this is when you use your device. If you’re browsing your phone in bed at night and in the morning, you have a problem. Try to stop using your phone at least 30 minutes before bed and ideally put it in flight mode. Learn to use your device to support you rather than it using you.
4. Do Something More Useful
Instead of opening one of your go-to apps for distraction, open up a book instead. Kindle and/or Audible are good options. If you can read for 10 minutes instead of browsing you’ll feel calmer and once you get started you’re more than likely to read for longer. Pick a favourite author or topic/genre you like.
If you’re not a reader, find something else that fits your goals and interests that you can do without using a device! Anything goes. And if you absolutely must use a device – for example, to take pictures or capture something the golden rule is to create more than you consume. Become a creator rather than a consumer and you will feel more fulfilled and happy with your digital choices.
5. Wait!!!
Okay, you’ve fallen into the trap, you’ve read dozens of reviews of a particular gadget or thing, you’ve watched some videos of it in use, you’ve searched for the best price and found an amazing deal and are about to buy it. At this point, stop yourself and wait for 24 hours. If you still feel as strongly about the purchase a day later and are absolutely sure it will enhance your life, that you will actually use it and can afford it, then it’s time to make the purchase.
Two things to watch out for:
- FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) – Companies know how to get you to buy. You’ll be presented with an exclusive, time-limited offer that needs you to act NOW or you’ll miss out! Don’t fall for it. Take your time.
- The Diderot effect – this is a killer. You buy a new webcam, only to realise your lighting and speakers aren’t good enough, so you end up upgrading all your gadgets to match the new thing you’ve just bought. Be very wary of this. It applies to clothes, furnishings, gadgets, anything. You’ll end up in debt with a pile of stuff you won’t use.
Don’t seek happiness in new stuff – make the most of what you have and only upgrade when you absolutely need to, have made the most of the original item and are absolutely certain that the purchase will enhance your life.
Final Thoughts
I hope these tips are helpful. If there are things you’ve tried that have helped, please comment below.
The final point to make is that today’s digital technology is amazing and when used to support your goals, can be a godsend. I decided to get into making my own coffee last year and went down a rabbit hole to get the best machine I could for a certain budget and it was great fun. The key was stopping once I achieved my goal. The problem is when browsing and scrolling becomes an addiction in and of itself. As the old saying goes, everything in moderation…
