Technology is taking over our lives, especially in the workplace. What can we do to put technology in its place to finally get focused work done?
Below are resources, tools, and articles for regaining focus in your digital life. These are tools I use myself but is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Full disclosure – I am an investor in Pana.com, one of the companies mentioned in the presentation.
Here’s my presentation on how to find focus at work by Slaying the Messaging Monster.
Turn Off External Triggers
- How to Clear Your Computer of Focus-Draining Distraction
- How to turn off Android notifications
- How to turn off push notifications on iPads and iPhones
- How to have a distraction-free iPhone (Video)
- Make your own do (not) disturb monitor sign (PDF)
- Tiny $13 distraction-free phone
- How to use Gmail Delegate (Video)
- Newsfeed Eradicator for Facebook (Chrome)
- Distraction Free YouTube (Chrome)
- Ad blocker – uBlock
Make the Undesired Action More Difficult
- My article on removing tech from the bedroom – Strange Sex Habits of Silicon Valley
- For finding a focus friend – Focusmate
- Forest app
- Freedom app
- Self-control app (Mac)
- Stop using tech in meetings – Time for Digital Hat Racks
- But some actions you want to make easier, like sending email faster. To send canned responses:
- In Gmail
- In any email client, use a note app like Notefile
Remove or Delay the Reward
- Latest Tech Trends: Products to Eliminate Distractions and Increase Willpower
- Use Pocket to read (or listen) to articles later – This Will Be the Last Article You Read
- Old fashioned word processor (for sale on Amazon) – Neo 2 Word Processor Keyboard by AlphaSmart
- Space (iOS, Android, Chrome)
- To banish certain emails into a “black hole” so you never hear from sender again, use Sanebox
Slow the Investment
- To send email later:
- Do work that matters assessment
- Use bots to…
- Schedule meetings – X.ai
- Book and change travel plans – Pana
- Engage sales leads – Conversica
- Uses virtual assistants to do repetitive tasks:
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- Habit Tracker Template in Google Sheets
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- Timeboxing: Why It Works and How to Get Started in 2024
- An Illustrated Guide to the 4 Types of Liars
- Hyperbolic Discounting: Why You Make Terrible Life Choices
- Happiness Hack: This One Ritual Made Me Much Happier
