Kill Distractions at the Root

Most people try to resist distractions. Wrong strategy. The real move is to remove them before they appear. Some studies suggest that a visible phone can pull on working memory even when you never touch it, though later replications and reviews are mixed. Either way, a phone in sight is a strong attention cue, so put it out of reach before deep work starts.

Create a distraction-free environment in layers. Physical: clear your desk of everything except what you need now. Digital: use website blockers during focus sessions. Social: tell people when you are in a deep work block.