ADHD: how to stop getting distracted.
🔔 Ding! Better check that notification. Oops, it's 4 hours later and now you're reading Jupiter's Wikipedia page. We've all been there - here are my anti-distraction strategies.
This post contains the anti-distraction strategies that I use both inside and outside of isolation. I've pitched these strategies to a few friends, and noticeable changes seem to appear after two weeks. Stay committed.
I'm a bit extreme with my anti-distraction mindset. I'm always glued to my noise-cancelling headset. I have no social media applications on my phone and I use app/website blockers religiously. I've eliminated distractions from my life almost entirely, but it wasn't easy to get to this stage, so I've broken it down into three stages.
Mindset
Digital Minimalism
Prevention
💡 ADHD Friendly Summary
ADHD Brains are more susceptible to distraction due to our need to chase dopamine
Studies have shown that even a single interruption will derail your focus for up to an average of 23 minutes.
Adopt a Digital Minimalism mindset to remove digital distractions from your life
Take steps in your life to prevent sensory and social distractions.
Use a "Break List" to note down stray thoughts that you'll deal with during your breaks.
1. Mindset
The first step for me was understanding that our brains are just more susceptible to distraction than most people.
Our brains chase dopamine to fill our reward system deficiencies and we'll see any distractions as an immediate reward. What makes matters worse is that once we're distracted, it's much harder for us to switch tasks.
Key Fact: Studies have shown that even a single interruption will derail your focus for up to an average of 23 minutes.
Yeah, that means checking your phone for 5 seconds is actually losing you 23 minutes and 5 seconds of your time. Adopt a zero-tolerance policy for distractions.
2. Digital Minimalism
It's ironic that I'm a digital minimalist now. Last year, my weekly phone usage often exceeded 40-hours. Digital Minimalism is about being intentional with your digital use and knowing how much is enough.
Key Fact: Studies have found links between increased screen time and increases in depressive symptoms, reduced ability to focus, and reduced attention span
I'm not saying quit all social media and go live in the forest. I'm just saying it's worth taking a step back and re-evaluating your digital use. I'm not going to try and persuade you to adopt this mindset, just give level one a shot and see the benefits for yourself.
Level One - Start Small: Disable app notifications on your phone.
Your goal here is to eliminate all unimportant notifications and reduce the frequency of important notifications.
I only have notifications enabled for my calendar, timers and todo list.
Tip: Spend a week without notifications. You'll notice the ADHD chatter dying down.
Level Two - Blocking: Using website/app blockers to prevent unintentional digital usage.
I use both Cold Turkey and Freedom. They are tough enough for the average ADHD person.
Use Chrome/Firefox extensions to remove the news feeds on social media websites. I’m currently using: DF Tube (Youtube), LinkedIn Feed Blocker and News Feed Eradicator (Facebook)
Level Three - Elimination: Uninstall any app that isn't adding value to your life. (e.g: social media + messaging)
Cal Newport proposes a 30-day digital declutter in his book Digital Minimalism.
As a digital minimalist, I'm still very well-connected with my friends. I run a Facebook community and I've started using Twitter and Instagram for this newsletter. My digital use is now intentional and I try to only use social media or email in between deep work breaks.
3. Prevention
All of the above still isn't enough (bet your ADHD brain is not surprised). Our brains seem to find ways to break through our shields and distract us anyway. The next step is preventing sensory distractions and social distractions.
Preventing Sensory Distractions
Key Fact: Many people with ADHD experience issues with object permanence.
Object permanence is the ability to understand that objects still exist even when they aren't visible.
Use object permanence to your advantage!
Remove anything that can distract you from your vision, that means no phone, no pictures, and no books in front of you.
Use the phrase "Out of Sight, Out of Mind!" (OSOM)
Remove all sounds from your environment
Turn off your TV and try go to an area without noise
Ask your family members to use a headset when they are listening to shows/music
Get a noise-cancelling headset or some earplugs. I'm always wearing my Sony WH-1000XM3's.
Seriously. If you try anything from this post. Get a noise-cancelling headset.
Use music
Studies have shown that listening to some types of music (classical, white noise) can also help ADHD people focus and improve their memory.
I personally don't like white noise. But I've listened to brown noise every single day for the past two years. (Brown noise works even better with my noise-cancelling headset)
I've also had success with binaural music for writing/reading and EDM for shallow work where I don't need to concentrate (e.g. coding and chores)
Preventing social distractions
I get it, talking to people is addictive and you don't need to stop. Just be a bit intentional with your socialising. Your friends and family won't be offended, you'll be able to give them 100% of your attention when you're not working. The reality is, you won't ever be able to do meaningful work until you start being focused with your time.
Switch environments to another room in your house or to a library, cafe or office area (once we're out of lockdown)
J.K Rowling famously spent six months finishing off the Deathly Hallows in a hotel room. (A library would work just as well 😀 )
Bill Gates takes a "think week" at least once a year where he locks himself in a cabin to read books and, well, think.
Schedule specific hours where you're available and not available.
I synchronise my work breaks with my SO when working from home. We follow a 90-minute cycle of work, followed by a 20-minute break.
Gently ask your family members/co-workers to not disturb you for X minutes
Set specific times where you check social media/email/slack. I use my Pomodoro breaks for this.
Note: It's important to use timers for your breaks and be strict once your break ends
If you liked this post please show the Twitter thread and Instagram post some love.
Cheers,
BeatADHD
Got 10 seconds to spare feedback? This post focused more on my personal strategies rather than scientific evidence (like my gut health post). It's because I was sick of non-ADHD "experts" recommending strategies that don't actually work for us - which type of post do you prefer?