Posts Tagged ‘Focus’
[DevoxxGR2025] Mastering Indistractable Focus
Michela Bertaina, head of community at Codemotion, shared a 45-minute talk at Devoxx Greece 2025 on achieving indistractable focus.
Understanding Distraction
Bertaina began with her community manager role, overwhelmed by notifications across platforms, leading to unproductive days. She introduced Nir Eyal’s concept of traction (actions toward goals) versus distraction (actions pulling away). Internal triggers (90%), like boredom or stress, drive distraction more than external ones (10%). She shared her chaotic morning routine—checking notifications while eating—causing stress and cognitive overload. Research shows focus lasts 40 seconds, worsened by constant app stimuli, with people checking phones 60 times daily.
Four Keys to Focus
Bertaina outlined four strategies: manage internal triggers, schedule traction, eliminate external triggers, and make pacts. First, identify emotional triggers (e.g., procrastination) using the 10-minute rule to delay distractions. Second, time-box meaningful tasks, prioritizing outcomes over to-do lists, and schedule downtime to avoid multitasking, which costs 23 minutes to refocus. Third, use technology (focus modes, app timers, grayscale screens) to reduce external triggers. Finally, make pacts (money, effort, identity) to commit to goals, like Ulysses resisting sirens by binding himself.
Reframing Lifestyle
Bertaina added a fifth key: reframe lifestyle with mindfulness, dedicated spaces, healthy diet, and sleep. Journaling and retrospectives clarify thoughts, while separate physical/virtual workspaces enhance focus. She challenged attendees to avoid phones during commutes or try a week-long digital detox, urging experimentation to find personal focus strategies.