Staying Focused in a Complicated World

Technology has laid the groundwork for an increasingly complicated world. The internet allows people to connect with each other across the world, access information at their fingertips, keep in touch through social media sites, and shop online. All of this is available at any time of day or night. With cable packages that offer hundreds of channels, programs are available on demand 24 hours a day. TVs are no longer limited to regular shows during prime time; Netflix and Hulu allow viewers to watch what they want, when they want it.

Because technology makes it so easy to get your fix anywhere you go, you might feel like you've developed an addiction, constantly searching for distractions instead of focusing on what matters most. It could be difficult to turn everything off even when you're trying to focus on a task.

To increase productivity and efficiency, it's crucial to understand how technology affects your brain and the best ways to manage distractions. While it can be a challenge, taking advantage of technological advances by learning to focus in a complicated world will help you achieve your goals.

Technology is not evil; it's how you choose to use the advancements that lead to distractions. Improve your productivity and efficiency by recognizing how increased simplicity can make a complicated world manageable.

Distractions are everywhere- it doesn't help that your brain actually loves distractions. According to psychologist Earl Miller, the part of your brain that gets a burst of dopamine from checking social media or being interrupted at work is the same area associated with addiction cravings. So even though you might be annoyed by constant distractions, your brain wants more.

Fortunately, there are ways to reduce these disturbances and increase focus. Here are some tips that can help:

· Limit screen time before bed- the blue light emitted from screens disturbs sleep patterns. Staring at a lit screen after dark tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime. Such tricks disrupt natural sleep patterns which lead to grogginess during the day. Instead of scrolling through your phone or checking your email before bed, try reading a book before turning out the light.

· Align technology with your daily routine- it's difficult to resist constant notifications and alerts when they're readily available. However, not all of us need access to everything 24/7. To improve productivity, align your technology use with your ability to focus on one task at a time; turn off some distractions during set times of day (i.e., no email after 5 pm).

· Turn off push notifications on devices- many devices like smart phones allow you to control how often apps update on screen (for example by updating every time new content is posted or when you open the app). Turning off push notifications can help reduce distractions by not allowing every update to appear on the screen.

· Keep electronic devices out of sight- for certain tasks, such as writing a paper or focusing during a presentation, it's helpful to keep your technology out of sight. Remove the temptation to constantly check your phone by placing it inside a desk drawer or in another room entirely.

· Break down large projects into smaller chunks- instead of trying to complete everything at once, chunking allows you to break big projects into doable sections and organize them according to deadlines and priorities. For example, if you have a major project due in two weeks, make it your goal to focus on that task from Monday through Friday for those two weeks rather than spending an entire weekend trying to finish the whole thing at once.

While it's important to use technology in a way that enhances your life, it is also necessary to disconnect from time to time. Reading books, spending quality time with loved ones, exercising outside, or engaging in other activities that are just for you will help you disconnect and recharge. You'll be able to return to your work more focused and productive than ever.

As you can see, there is a lot to manage in this complicated world. However, it's not impossible to stay focused and accomplish your goals. Focus on how technology can help you become more productive and remove technology in situations where it becomes a distraction!