The Slow Erosion
I've been noticing something troubling lately. During meetings, I catch myself checking notifications. While reading articles, I'm simultaneously scrolling through feeds. When working on projects, half my attention drifts to whatever's happening on my second monitor.
This fragmented attention isn't just affecting my work—it's changing how I think about problems themselves. The deep, sustained thinking that produces meaningful solutions feels increasingly difficult to access.
(Note: This resonates with Elle's recent reflection on feeling like her "brain has slowly been melting away" post-graduation.)I realized I need to actively rebuild my capacity for focused work as someone who wants to create things that matter.
The Mind Under Siege
Creative work requires sustained attention. Understanding problems, synthesizing information, iterating on solutions—these aren't activities you can do while multitasking. Yet somewhere along the way, I'd trained myself to expect constant stimulation.
The irony isn't lost on me: I've become a casualty of the very attention economy I participate in daily.
A Personal Reset Protocol
Inspired by approaches to intentional living, I've started implementing what I call a "focus reset"—deliberate practices to rebuild my capacity for deep work and thoughtful consumption.
Digital Boundaries
I've streamlined my phone to just essential apps during work hours. Twitter/X stays for bookmarking and staying updated on what's happening, but everything else that pulls me into endless scrolling gets removed. My phone now serves its original purpose: communication, useful tools, and intentional information gathering—not passive entertainment.
The quiet is initially uncomfortable. Then it becomes liberating.
Curated Inputs
Instead of consuming whatever the algorithm feeds me, I'm being intentional about information sources. I use Twitter/X strategically for bookmarks and staying current, but I balance it with long-form articles, books that challenge my thinking, and essays that explore complex ideas. Quality over quantity.
When I read about complex topics, I take notes by hand. The physical act of writing slows down consumption and deepens understanding.
Single-Tasking as Practice
This feels radical in our multitasking culture, but I'm practicing doing one thing at a time:
- Work: One project, one screen, one focus area
- Reading: No background music, no second devices
- Meetings: Notebook instead of laptop when possible
The initial productivity drop was real. But the quality of attention—and resulting work—improved dramatically.
The Creative Benefits
After a few weeks of this practice, I've noticed:
Deeper Problem Understanding: When I'm not rushing to the solution, I spend more time understanding the actual problem. This leads to better, more thoughtful decisions.
Pattern Recognition: With sustained attention, I start noticing connections between projects and concepts that were invisible during fragmented thinking.
Better Intuition: That elusive sense of "rightness" in decisions returns when your mind has space to process and synthesize.
Analog Tools as Anchors
I've returned to paper for initial thinking. There's something about the tactile experience that demands presence in a way digital tools don't. Writing or sketching with pen and paper forces me to think before acting—no easy undo button.
The constraints of physical media actually enhance creativity rather than limit it.
Beyond Productivity
This isn't just about being more productive—it's about being more human in my work. Good work is fundamentally about understanding people and problems, and that requires the kind of empathy and insight that only emerges from sustained, thoughtful engagement. Not all at once, but consistently over time.
(Note: There's a growing body of research on how fragmented attention affects not just productivity, but creativity and emotional intelligence.)When I'm constantly switching contexts, I lose the ability to sit with complex problems long enough to find elegant solutions. Good work requires patience, iteration, and the willingness to sit with uncertainty.
Small Experiments, Big Impact
Some specific practices that have helped:
Morning Walks: Starting each day with a 20-30 minute walk, without devices or podcasts. Just movement and letting thoughts settle. Often surfaces insights about current challenges that were stuck the day before.
Eating Healthy: Being intentional about meals—proper breakfast, mindful lunch breaks, and avoiding the afternoon sugar crash. Good nutrition directly impacts focus and mental clarity throughout the day.
Deep Work Blocks: Two-hour periods of single-focus work, with phone in another room and notifications disabled.
The Long Game
Rebuilding attention is like physical fitness—it requires consistent practice and patience with the process. Some days the old habits return. But gradually, the capacity for sustained focus grows stronger.
The goal isn't to become a productivity machine, but to reclaim the mental space necessary for thoughtful, meaningful work. In a world optimized for distraction, choosing depth is both a personal practice and a professional advantage.
The most meaningful work happens in the quiet spaces between notifications.