Smartphones are designed to grab our attention non-stop with notifications, messages and updates. While many of us think putting your phone on silent or upside down on the table works well to avoid distraction, the device still grabs your attention, even if your phone is in your bag under your desk.
Notifications
We all know that the sound of an incoming message can be a major distraction. Many people therefore put their phones on permanent vibrate to avoid this distraction. But even a flashing screen or a brief vibration in your pocket can disrupt your concentration. Whether during a conversation with a friend or while working, your attention is interrupted.
Concentration
Professor of Cognitive Affective Neuroscience Erno Hermans argues that repeated stress responses make it difficult for people to concentrate. He explains that over time, interruptions cause it to become increasingly difficult to maintain attention. Because your brain has trouble focusing on two things at once, your attention automatically goes to your phone as soon as a notification comes in. In the long run, this can even lead to memory problems. Our brain gets used to the fast pace of information consumption, so we take in more stimuli than we can actually process.
Unconscious jammer
So: phone upside down on your desk and problem solved right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Even without notifications, your brain remains aware of the phone nearby – even if it’s in your bag under the desk. Moreover, habituation plays a big role: it is so ingrained in our behavior to check the phone that we often do it without thinking about it. Before you know it, you’ve walked home or ten minutes have passed at work while mindlessly scrolling through social media. This automatic pattern of behavior has crept in and is incredibly difficult to break.
Research shows that the presence of your phone, even out of your sight, reduces your concentration. Once there is something nearby that can distract you – like your phone – your brain will not dig as deeply into a task. Your concentration becomes weaker because your brain is preparing for a possible interruption.
Workout
But fortunately, that doesn’t mean our little concentration arc is irreversible. “Concentration is something you have to train, just like a muscle you have to keep strong,” says professor and cognitive psychologist Stefan van der Stigchel. To make it as easy on yourself as possible, it’s important to create a work environment where there are as few distractions as possible. You can also try the Pomodoro technique, in which you work with concentration for 25 minutes, followed by a short 5-minute break. After four rounds, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.
Schedule set moments to check your phone, such as at 10 a.m. or, if you can manage it, only during your lunch break. Making strict agreements with yourself will make it a lot easier. It will probably feel uncomfortable at first, but that’s only a matter of time. Leave your phone in your coat pocket, far away on the coat rack, or in another place where you can’t reach it quickly.
You can also train your concentration outside of office hours. Put your phone in another room while charging, leave it at home when you go shopping or take a walk. And – yes, we all do – do you really have to take your phone to the bathroom? Try to be intentional about the moments you reach for your phone and ask yourself if you really need to check your apps. Mindfulness and meditation can help you to live more in the moment and increase your attention control and concentration. Definitely worth a try!