The lost art of concentration: being distracted in a digital world
Three things helped me:<p>1) Mindfulness training so I could see myself in the moment NOT concentrating and stop myself. Still not at 100% with this but have been getting a lot better since I first took <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.futurelearn.com&#x2F;courses&#x2F;mindfulness-wellbeing-performance&#x2F;1" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.futurelearn.com&#x2F;courses&#x2F;mindfulness-wellbeing-pe...</a> a couple of years ago.<p>2) Thinking of my mobile in the way marketers think of it. As a cache for mobile minutes. Each marketing dept is like a little gnome each trying to get at my treasure. So I cut them off. I deleted all apps with ads and made an effort to block all ads or suggestions for new content across the digital things I use via everything from Greasemonkey to plug-ins to switching providers of services. So now distraction from my digital browsing is significantly diminished.<p>3) Re-reading this Michener essay about once a year: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.asahi-net.or.jp&#x2F;~xs3d-bull&#x2F;michener.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.asahi-net.or.jp&#x2F;~xs3d-bull&#x2F;michener.html</a>. It reminds me that it takes long periods of time and discipline to create great things. Else they are easily achievable and don&#x27;t IMHO qualify as great. This includes everything from putting tons of time in for Ironman training (quite the physical achievement) to writing a book (look at Michener&#x27;s books and how crazy-well-researched and expansive they are) to having a good relationship with your mate to writing quality code for your most recent idea. The more the gnomes pick at your little time treasure, the less time you have to achieve great things.