Setting Boundaries For Focus

How I dramatically reduced my phone distraction in one step 👇 I switched my phone from colour 🌈 to greyscale ☁ . Honestly I wish I had done this years ago. I've been in a long-term battle for better quality and quantity of focus, in which my smartphone is one of my big enemies. And I have found some strategies that really help to limit distractions and create boundaries, including keeping work email and tools like Slack off my phone. But I've also found it harder over time, especially with the need to keep social media apps on my phone (our core marketing channels), and doing a lot of quickfire communications with our collaborators via WhatsApp and text. Once I pick up my phone for those, it's easy to switch from a quick work task to checking news apps, scrolling new bedside tables on marketplace (another long-term quest haha) or going down a social media rabbithole. So switching to greyscale has been an absolute game changer. It is terrifyingly effective at turning your phone from something you want to pick up constantly and keep engaging with, into a boring brick that hurts your brain. It essentially removes a big portion of the dopamine hits and positive reinforcement you get from engaging with your screen. It literally feels bleak and alienating, which is 100% perfect for my purposes. And realising how much a few pretty colours alter my level of focus also brought a healthy dose of humility and self-compassion. Because it turns out that for all of the complex cool things humans can do, we are basically just ancient mammalian brains trained to look for berries and fast-moving tigers, stumbling around in a modern world filled with devices designed to hold and monetise our attention 😂 If you'd like to try out greyscale, here's how (on an iPhone 13, may vary by model or O/S) 👇 Option 1: Go to Settings, Search "Colour", Click on "Colour Filters" and switch into greyscale. Option 2: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Colour Filters, and then switch to greyscale. Cannot recommend highly enough 👌 Let me know how it goes if you try it - and also feel free to share your other tips in the comments!

I wrote Indistractable because I wanted to fix my inability to focus. The answer lay in these 4 steps: 1️⃣ Master your internal triggers. Distraction starts from within. It’s driven by emotions like boredom, anxiety, and fatigue. When you learn to notice those feelings instead of reacting to them, you break the loop. 2️⃣ Make time for traction. If you don’t plan your day, someone else will. You can’t call something a distraction unless you know what it distracted you from. Timeboxing isn’t rigidity. it’s how you make space for what matters. 3️⃣ Hack back external triggers. The pings, dings, and rings aren’t inevitable. It takes just a few minutes to adjust your devices so you stay focused when it counts. 4️⃣ Prevent distraction with pacts. When all else fails, willpower isn’t enough. That’s where pacts come in. A pact is a promise you make in advance to stop yourself from going off track later. It could be: • A price pact (installing an app blocker or using software that locks you out of social media during work hours),  • An effort pact (leaving your phone in another room so it’s harder to reach),  • An identity pact (telling yourself, “I’m the kind of person who keeps my promises to myself.”) When you apply these four steps together, distraction stops being a default. You stop reacting and start directing your attention. If you want to go deeper, the new paperback edition of Indistractable is out now (updated with practical tools and exercises to help you master focus in work and life) To learn more, visit: https://lnkd.in/eakbMz9z

Focus isn’t broken. The way we design work is. We ran a poll on attention blockers. The results were telling: • Constant digital distractions: 33% • Task switching and multitasking: 29% • Mental overload: 22% • Lack of clear priorities: 17% Nearly two-thirds of people are struggling with the same underlying issue: Work environments that overload the brain’s attention systems. From a neuroscience perspective, this is predictable. The brain is not built to juggle competing demands in parallel. Every interruption forces the prefrontal cortex to drop context, rebuild it, and expend metabolic energy in the process. Over time, this shows up as fatigue, slower thinking, and reduced quality, not poor motivation. What actually helps, based on how the brain works: • Cap inputs at the system level. Turn off non-essential notifications. Close email and chat outside defined windows. Limit active tasks to one priority plus one secondary task. Focus fails when inputs are unlimited. • Sequence work deliberately. Block time for one cognitive mode at a time. Do not mix deep thinking, decisions, and reactive tasks. Task switching drains energy and increases error. • Define work with clear edges. Start with a specific outcome. End when that outcome is reached. Completion stabilises dopamine and makes it easier for the brain to re-engage next time. • Design for attention rather than demanding it. Protect uninterrupted time. Reduce urgency theatre. Stop rewarding constant availability. Attention improves when the environment supports it. This is not about trying harder or being more disciplined. It is about aligning work design with how the human brain actually functions. That is where sustainable performance comes from. #NeuroscienceAtWork #Focus #Leadership #CognitivePerformance #BrainBasedLeadership #SynapticPotential

12 steps to protect your focus - And develop a deep work routine: (5 and 6 are so important) 1) Prioritize ↳Before you begin, pick just 1 task you want to work on (no multitasking) ↳Choose your "frog" - the important item you've been putting off 2) Protect the time ↳Find a window of at least 1 hour (2-3 is even better) and block it on your calendar ↳Experiment to find the time when you're most productive and focused 3) Find a space ↳Choose a location where you can close the door and limit distractions ↳Ask others not to interrupt you when you're in there 4) Prepare ↳Download files and gather resources you'll need to complete the work ↳Go to the bathroom, grab a water, and anticipate any other needs 5) Put your phone away ↳Switch your phone to airplane mode and put it out of reach ↳Do NOT look at it until you're finished - that friend's text can wait 6) Shut apps  ↳Close anything on your computer that has notifications, like email and Slack ↳X out of any distracting tabs like news sites or social media 7) Grab a pen and pad ↳It's impossible to stop to-dos and other thoughts from popping into your head ↳Simply write them down when you think of them and then move on 8) Use headphones ↳If you're particularly sensitive to sound, try noise-canceling headphones ↳Find what's best for you: playing nothing at all, white noise, or music without lyrics 9) Clear your mind ↳When everything is ready, pause before diving in to briefly relax ↳You can simply close your eyes and breathe, or do a 1-minute meditation 10) Use a timer ↳Set a timer so you don't have to worry about watching the clock ↳Experiment with techniques like Pomodoro to work and break in intervals 11) Improve ↳After every time you do deep work, reflect on what helped and hurt your focus ↳Make improvements each time to consistently enhance your productivity 12) Handle the basics ↳Exhaustion, hunger, and lack of exercise can be even worse for focus than your phone ↳Get adequate sleep, eat well, and move your body every day Just two hours of deep work can beat a full day of distracted work. Use this checklist to focus deeply on your most important tasks, And turbocharge your productivity. P.S. I'm always curious to hear: When do you get your best deep work done? --- ♻ Repost to help your network be more productive. And follow me George Stern for more. If you want the high-res PDF of this sheet, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gpe6Q3V6

A distraction event wastes 25 minutes of focus building. Focus is slow to build and quick to drop. So each time you're interrupted, you're not only losing those few moments—you’re also sacrificing nearly half an hour trying to regain your original momentum. I’m writing a book at the moment, so focus time is key. But I’m also running a company. Over a day, frequent distractions diminish my productivity and creativity, but I can’t just lock myself in a cabin in the woods. Reducing distractions is essential for reducing lost time. Here are my simple but effective strategies to avoid distractions: 1/ Put my phone in another room—out of sight, out of mind. 2/ Close unnecessary browser tabs to avoid temptation. Or turn off the internet completely. 3/ Turn off notifications from email, messaging apps, and social media. 4/ Schedule dedicated focus sessions (e.g., using the Pomodoro technique). 5/ Communicate boundaries clearly with my colleagues and family. 6/ Keep my workspace tidy to minimize visual distractions. 7/ Set specific times for checking email and messages, rather than constantly. I’ve found that small changes like these can have outsized benefits for your productivity and peace of mind. ♻️ Find this valuable? Repost to help others in your network. 💡 Craving more insights? Follow Chris Banks P.S. you may have noticed tennis players sitting with a towel over their head between games. That's to reduce the number of distractions so they don't lose their focus. I wouldn't recommend this at work.

Practical design tips for cognitive & mental-health accessibility What can we actually do, in practice, to make digital experiences calmer, safer, and easier to use? Here are some techniques that go beyond WCAG checklists, drawn from real accessibility work and user feedback: 1. Reduce cognitive load → simplify tasks Use plain language, short sentences, chunked steps. Example: GOV.UK consistently ranks as one of the best models for cognitive clarity: https://lnkd.in/eNc-Cbwx 2. Support emotional safety → avoid stress-inducing patterns Remove manipulative patterns, rushed steps, or overwhelming UI. Study: Digital design influencing emotional distress - “Digital Health Risks & Social Isolation”: https://lnkd.in/eXQSbUCz 3. Give users control over pace, motion & interruptions Provide pause/stop controls, reduce auto-refresh, allow more time. Study: Digital mental-health accessibility and processing time needs: https://lnkd.in/e_R33qZF 4. Create highly predictable navigation Users with anxiety or executive dysfunction rely on consistency. Study: “Improving Cognitive Web Accessibility” - predictability reduces cognitive strain: https://lnkd.in/e2rrKC5N 5. Allow personalisation & adaptive modes Let users reduce clutter, choose simpler layouts, alter colours or spacing. Research: Neurodivergent-inclusive design & adaptive interfaces: https://lnkd.in/eJcWnxuV 6. Support focus → minimise distractions Avoid auto-playing video, flashing banners, notification loops. Example: “Reader Mode” in Firefox & Safari is a real-world model of reducing distractions: https://lnkd.in/er8UsxDw 7. Provide emotional reassurance in UI Use confirming messages, check-ins, progress indicators, and reduced ambiguity. 8. Use multimodal presentation → support different processing styles Provide text + visuals + examples; avoid relying on one cognitive channel. Cognitive accessibility by W3C WAI: https://lnkd.in/enTWiJdJ 9. Avoid memory-heavy interfaces Don’t force users to remember steps, data, or locations → keep key actions visible. Principle: Recognition over recall, supported by decades of UX & cognitive psychology: https://lnkd.in/eGsr_9bi 10. Test with diverse minds, not only sensory disabilities Include people with ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, dyslexia, brain fog, burnout. Study: UX design for mental-health needs, comparing typical vs. cognitive users: https://lnkd.in/eZ_7mmE6 Which of these do you already apply in your design or development process? And what other good strategies have you seen that support mental wellbeing online? #WebAccessibility #InclusiveDesign #CognitiveAccessibility #MentalHealth #A11y #DesignForGood #EmpathyInDesign #UXDesign #DigitalWellbeing #AccessibilityMatters

You probably have a distraction addiction. Not a focus problem. We tell ourselves: “LinkedIn is for work.” “Instagram helps me decompress.” “I’ll just check email for a minute.” But when was the last time you: -Sat alone with your thoughts? -Read before bed? -Slept deeply? -Worked without constant context-switching? For me, the answer wasn’t great. So I did something that feels a little ridiculous: I added physical friction between me and my apps. Not another app I could override. I got the Brick device that let's you set a schedule, choose apps to lock and if you want to override it you physically have to tap it and walk over to distract yourself. And that pause — that moment of “do I really want to do this?” — changed more than I expected. Since Christmas: -My sleep schedule is more consistent -I’ve already read three books -Deep, focused work feels possible again I’m no longer reflexively reaching for my phone during every lull Out of sight really does become out of mind. Is it perfect? No. Am I still working on it? Yes. But it helped me stop letting the world consume my attention before I set the tone for my day — and before I reflect at night. It’s strange that we need external tools to protect our focus. But instead of fighting that reality, I decided to work with it. Putting boundaries on your precious time will reward you more than you realize. Put the phone down.

Most efforts to limit scrolling time are doomed to fail—here’s what actually works. If you got a Brick for Christmas, congratulations. So did 80% of LinkedIn! But the problem with Brick is it’s a static defense against the most creative problem-solver (and problem-creator) imaginable: your brain. Having a tool that blocks you from accessing the apps and sites that you find most distracting is a crucial first step, but it’s not a a one-step solution to regaining your focus. I’ve spent the last year learning how to manage my screen time more effectively, and this is what I’ve learned really helps: - Have a go-to coping mechanism for your initial detox period that aligns with your goals. Part of my reason for wanting to reduce screen time was to read more, so I gave in to the Kindle app and put it on my homescreen where Instagram used to be. - Make a clear plan to access channels when it’s relevant for your work. If you’re a social pro or really most breeds of marketers these days, total absence from social isn’t an option, so how will you keep up? My rule is, if scrolling is work, treat it like work: do it on desktop, during work hours, in blocked sessions, as with any other task. - Set a calendar reminder for a few weeks/months in to reassess what your new timewasters are. If you’re scrolling social less, but obsessively reading the news more, you may not end up in a meaningfully better place mentally. The second round of blocking apps is almost as important as the first. - Plan to rest for a while. One of the first mistakes I made was trying to channel all my newfound free time into productivity, which totally backfired on my burned-out brain. Creative rest is critical—so now that you’re actually able to let your brain go into neutral, DO IT. - Do the deeper work and pay attention what you’re actually seeking when you find yourself reaching for your phone without thinking about it. Because until you’re conscious of and aware of the underlying need you’re not addressing, you’re only a tap away from being right back where you started. -- **I’m a social media pro who's been on an attention-span detoxing journey for the last 365 days, and I’m finally ready to talk about it. Follow along for weekly updates, tips, and thoughts from my yearlong streak.**

Want mental freedom? Stop relying on willpower and start designing constraints. The most powerful productivity insight might be this: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁. Think about how much mental energy gets drained by having to repeatedly: • Resist distractions • Make the same decisions • Fight against counterproductive defaults • Override automatic responses This drain is particularly significant for people with ADHD, who often struggle with response inhibition—the ability to pause and evaluate before acting or reacting. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Strategic constraints change the game entirely: * Website blockers prevent the need to constantly resist digital distractions * Pre-scheduled meetings eliminate decision fatigue about when to collaborate * Modified environments remove triggers for unwanted behaviors * Automated systems bypass the need for perfect financial discipline When we modify our environment instead of attempting to modify our behavior in the moment, we conserve precious mental resources for what truly matters. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗗𝗛𝗗 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 This approach is transformative for those with ADHD because it works with—not against—how their brains naturally function. Instead of repeatedly taxing an already challenged inhibitory system, environmental constraints provide the external structure that compensates for executive function differences. The evidence is clear. People with ADHD consistently perform better when: • Clear systems provide external structure • Visual cues replace the need for memory • Physical barriers prevent impulsive actions • Routines reduce novel decision points 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 The key insight: 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. This shift doesn't just apply to individuals with ADHD—it's universally beneficial. Even the most disciplined among us have limited cognitive resources. What area of your work or life could benefit from more thoughtful constraints and less reliance on moment-to-moment restraint?

I blocked off three hours for deep work. No meetings. Time to focus on that strategy paper. Then… Ping. ���Quick question, should we proceed with the meeting on project X?” I answer in thirty seconds. No big deal. But now my brain is running a background process… revisiting the decision while I try to focus on the strategy doc. Should we wait? Maybe I should double-check with a few folks… Before I know it, I’m knee-deep in three different problems. Three hours later, I’ve answered dozens of pings, overthought a decision, and made zero progress on my original task. Turns out, the main problem wasn’t the interruption; it was the mental spiral that followed. Researchers at Microsoft found that 27% of task interruptions from emails or instant messages lead to delays of two hours or more. So I’m clearly not alone here. Here are a few techniques I’ve found useful to stay focused: Brain Dump Distractions: If I think of something mid-task, I write it down on a post it and return to it later. Pre-Decide Goals: Before starting deep work, I define exactly what I want to accomplish. Key here: be realistic. End on a Clear Note: Before stopping a session, I leave a short “next step” note to make it easy to restart later. Batch Uncertainty: If I start second-guessing a decision, I flag it and set a time later in the day to revisit. That way, I don’t burn focus time in the moment. Managing external interruptions is one thing. Managing internal interruptions (self-doubt, second-guessing, anxiety) that’s the real challenge. How do you keep your brain from hijacking itself?