Self Growth Part 2: Focus despite your phone

Your phone is designed to pull you back, and every check costs more than the seconds you spend on it. A few changes to where it lives and how you plan your work make real focus possible again.

Why it's so hard

Feeds never end, streaks reward you for coming back, and red badges ask to be cleared. Every time you check, it takes a while to get your head back into the work. Ishaan's two-hour study evenings had maybe 40 minutes of real work in them.

Put distance between you and it

• Out of reach, not just face down. Another room is best.
• Notifications off for everything except calls and the few people who really need you.
• Social apps off your home screen, and logged out on your laptop.
• If you need your phone to study, turn on Do Not Disturb, or flight mode if the app works offline, and open only that app.

Work in blocks

Pick one task, set a timer, and do nothing else until it rings.

• Start with 25 minutes of work and a 5-minute break. This is the Pomodoro method, named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer (pomodoro is Italian for tomato).
• As it gets easier, try 50 minutes on and 10 off.
• Keep a piece of paper next to you. When a thought pops up, like "reply to the group chat" or "buy a notebook", write it down and deal with it in the break.

Ishaan now starts his evenings with two 25-minute blocks, phone in the other room, and gets more done in that first hour than he used to in two.

Guard your best hours

Most people have a time of day when their head is clearest. Use it for the hardest work, like solving problems or writing, and save messages and small jobs for later.

Boredom is the trigger

The urge to check comes most in the dull or difficult parts. Notice it, let it pass and carry on. With practice, letting it pass gets easier.

Try it

Check last week's screen time on your phone, so you know where you're starting. Then tomorrow, do two 25-minute blocks with your phone in another room and notifications off, and see how much you get done.

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Next: Self Growth Part 3: Plan your week