Digital Decluttering Tips

How I dramatically reduced my phone distraction in one step 👇 I switched my phone from colour 🌈 to greyscale ☁ . Honestly I wish I had done this years ago. I've been in a long-term battle for better quality and quantity of focus, in which my smartphone is one of my big enemies. And I have found some strategies that really help to limit distractions and create boundaries, including keeping work email and tools like Slack off my phone. But I've also found it harder over time, especially with the need to keep social media apps on my phone (our core marketing channels), and doing a lot of quickfire communications with our collaborators via WhatsApp and text. Once I pick up my phone for those, it's easy to switch from a quick work task to checking news apps, scrolling new bedside tables on marketplace (another long-term quest haha) or going down a social media rabbithole. So switching to greyscale has been an absolute game changer. It is terrifyingly effective at turning your phone from something you want to pick up constantly and keep engaging with, into a boring brick that hurts your brain. It essentially removes a big portion of the dopamine hits and positive reinforcement you get from engaging with your screen. It literally feels bleak and alienating, which is 100% perfect for my purposes. And realising how much a few pretty colours alter my level of focus also brought a healthy dose of humility and self-compassion. Because it turns out that for all of the complex cool things humans can do, we are basically just ancient mammalian brains trained to look for berries and fast-moving tigers, stumbling around in a modern world filled with devices designed to hold and monetise our attention 😂 If you'd like to try out greyscale, here's how (on an iPhone 13, may vary by model or O/S) 👇 Option 1: Go to Settings, Search "Colour", Click on "Colour Filters" and switch into greyscale. Option 2: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Colour Filters, and then switch to greyscale. Cannot recommend highly enough 👌 Let me know how it goes if you try it - and also feel free to share your other tips in the comments!

I’m a content creator. And yet, if I realise a social media app is eating into my productivity… I uninstall it in under a minute. People are often surprised when I say this. “But you create content for a living! How can you uninstall an app?” Exactly. That’s the point. Being a creator doesn’t mean being addicted to apps. It means controlling your time, energy, and focus. Here’s what actually works for me — and can work for you too: 1. Track your usage first Spend 3–5 days noting how much time you spend on apps. Seeing 2–3 hours vanish in random scrolling often makes the decision obvious. 2. Give every app a purpose Each app should serve a clear goal: learning, creating, networking. If it doesn’t, remove it. Ask yourself: “Is this helping me grow or just consuming me?” 3. Replace, don’t just remove Instead of scrolling out of habit, redirect that time to something meaningful: jot down ideas, read, practice a skill. Your brain still gets stimulation — but productive stimulation. 4. Schedule deep-focus blocks Block 90–120 minutes daily without your phone. Most of my best ideas happen here, not while scrolling. 5. Use micro-decisions to build discipline Deleting one app might feel small, but repeated conscious decisions train your mind to value focus over distraction. These micro-decisions compound over time. 6. Reflect weekly Ask yourself: “Which apps or habits helped me grow? Which distracted me?” This keeps your digital space curated and your attention sharp. The lesson? Productivity isn’t about being on every platform. It’s about consciously choosing what serves your goals — and ruthlessly letting go of what doesn’t. So today, ask yourself: Which apps, habits, or routines are quietly stealing your time? And what one micro-decision will you make to reclaim it?

Why Leaders Must Put Down Their Phones—And What to Do About It We check our phones dozens of times a day, but the real cost isn’t just lost time—it’s lost leadership. Groundbreaking research from The University of Texas at Austin and others shows that just having your phone nearby—even if it’s off—reduces your brain’s available cognitive capacity and focus. 💡 Participants who had their phones in another room scored up to 11% better on cognitive tests than those who had their phones on the desk. For leaders, this “brain drain” is especially dangerous. When your attention is fragmented by your phone, you: • Miss subtle cues from your team • Struggle to make high-quality decisions • Model distracted behavior that your team will copy • Undermine trust and presence—key ingredients for influence and inspiration Constant phone use also stunts leadership development. When you’re always available, your team becomes dependent on you for every decision, stifling both their growth and yours. 💡 Research shows phone distractions can lower work efficiency by up to 20% and increase error rates after interruptions by over 20%. What Can Leaders Do Right Now? ↳ Keep Your Phone Out of Sight: Place your phone in a drawer or another room during deep work or meetings. Out of sight, out of mind. ↳ Turn Off Non-Essential Notifications: Mute all but critical alerts to reduce temptation and interruptions. ↳ Schedule Phone-Free Work Blocks: Set specific times for focused, phone-free work. Use timers or “focus mode” features. ↳ Model Digital Discipline: Show your team what real presence looks like. Be fully engaged in conversations and meetings—no phones allowed. ↳ Create “No-Phone” Zones: Establish clear boundaries for device use during meetings, brainstorming sessions, and one-on-ones. ↳ Use Technology to Fight Technology: Leverage apps that block distractions or track your phone usage to build better habits. ↳ Take Real Breaks: Encourage yourself and your team to take breaks without phones—go for a walk, journal, or connect face-to-face. Leadership in 2025 demands more than multitasking and constant connectivity. It requires deep focus, presence, and the ability to inspire others—qualities that can be eroded by unchecked phone use. The science is precise: putting down your phone is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to reclaim your leadership edge. Follow Joshua Miller for more tips on coaching, leadership, career + mindset. #leadership #executivecoaching #technology #mindset

I wrote Indistractable because I wanted to fix my inability to focus. The answer lay in these 4 steps: 1️⃣ Master your internal triggers. Distraction starts from within. It’s driven by emotions like boredom, anxiety, and fatigue. When you learn to notice those feelings instead of reacting to them, you break the loop. 2️⃣ Make time for traction. If you don’t plan your day, someone else will. You can’t call something a distraction unless you know what it distracted you from. Timeboxing isn’t rigidity. it’s how you make space for what matters. 3️⃣ Hack back external triggers. The pings, dings, and rings aren’t inevitable. It takes just a few minutes to adjust your devices so you stay focused when it counts. 4️⃣ Prevent distraction with pacts. When all else fails, willpower isn’t enough. That’s where pacts come in. A pact is a promise you make in advance to stop yourself from going off track later. It could be: • A price pact (installing an app blocker or using software that locks you out of social media during work hours),  • An effort pact (leaving your phone in another room so it’s harder to reach),  • An identity pact (telling yourself, “I’m the kind of person who keeps my promises to myself.”) When you apply these four steps together, distraction stops being a default. You stop reacting and start directing your attention. If you want to go deeper, the new paperback edition of Indistractable is out now (updated with practical tools and exercises to help you master focus in work and life) To learn more, visit: https://lnkd.in/eakbMz9z

Decreased My Screen-Time by 127 Minutes Per Day. (Here’s Exactly How) 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 The numbers are shocking… General Screen-Time Averages → Global Daily Average: Adults spend an average of 6 hours and 58 minutes on screens daily. → Smartphone Usage: The average smartphone user spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone daily. Most people check their phones 58 times a day on average. → Social Media Consumption: The average person spends 2 hours and 31 minutes per day on social media. Quick Math: That’s 22 hours and 45 minutes per week, 97 hours and 30 minutes per month, or 1,186 hours and 15 minutes per year spent on screens. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 The endless scroll on IG or TikTok may seem harmless, but here’s what I realized I was robbing myself of: ✖ Time with the people I love ✖ Building and growing my business ✖ Prioritizing my well-being ✖ Flow state experiences ✖ Rest and relaxation So, I decided to take action. 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 I changed my relationship with my phone. Instead of letting it control my life, I took back control by setting hard boundaries: ✔ No phone when I first wake up ✔ No phone at the gym ✔ No phone during deep focus blocks ✔ No phone when I’m present with loved ones ✔ No phone during the last hour of my day I found myself fully present with the task at hand instead of being constantly derailed by the next notification or urge to check my phone. 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 This didn’t happen overnight, but through consistent effort. These are the tricks I wish someone had told me years ago: → Schedule Do Not Disturb: Mine is on 24/7, eliminating notification distractions. → Move Distracting Apps Off My Home Screen: All social media apps live in a folder on the very last screen of my phone—it takes 3 swipes to access them. → Night Shift Mode: Scheduled from 7 PM to 9 AM, it eliminates the vibrant colors that pull me in. → Create “No Phone Zones:” No scrolling on the couch, at the dinner table, or in bed. → Intentional Scrolling: I only allow myself to scroll during a designated time in the afternoon. I’m still discovering new tips and tricks every day—if you have any, please share them! 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 More Time: Freed up hours for hobbies, relationships, and productivity. Improved Mental Health: Less comparison, anxiety, and overstimulation. Better Sleep: Avoiding screens before bed has drastically improved my rest. Enhanced Focus: Without constant phone distractions, I can stay in deep work longer and accomplish tasks more efficiently. Stronger Relationships: Being fully present with loved ones has deepened my connections and improved communication. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 What’s your biggest screen-time challenge? Which tip or mindset resonated with you most? Let me know—I’d love to help or learn from your experience!

Nobody looks back wishing they answered more emails. They regret the moments they didn’t fully live. The average professional spends 11+ hours a day on screens. That constant input doesn’t just drain attention, it drains life. Here are 5 simple ways to reclaim your focus: 1/ Morning buffer zone Your first 30 minutes set the tone for everything. → Leave your phone outside the bedroom overnight → Finish your routine before checking notifications → Start with direction instead of distraction 2/ Scheduled tech breaks Stepping away sharpens performance. → Block 3–4 daily 15-minute device-free slots → Protect them as “focus sessions” on your calendar → Use them for reflection, not reaction 3/ Outdoor reset breaks Movement restores mental clarity. → Take a 10-minute phone-free walk daily → Let ideas come naturally instead of forcing them → Return with energy instead of fatigue 4/ Device-free lunches Let your break actually feel like a break. → Keep your phone tucked away while eating → Use the time to connect with people or just breathe → Notice how your afternoon feels lighter 5/ Evening transition End your day before your devices decide for you. → Set a firm cutoff for work-related tech → Physically close or store your laptop/phone → Give your brain space to reset for tomorrow The research is clear: Intentional breaks from technology strengthen productivity, creativity, and mental health. You don’t need to quit screens - you just need to manage them. Which one of these will you try first?

Work, family, and reading time are too scarce to lose hours on distracting technology. Consumer tech is designed to capture and hold our attention, so this is a constant struggle. I'm always experimenting with new strategies to ward off tech-related distractions. I discuss productivity tips in chapter 10 of Elegant Legal Writing ("The Mental Game of Writing"), but here are two new tricks I've tried: 1. Distraction-blocking time blocks and automations with no escape hatch. Depending on the platform, I use some combination of Apple Shortcuts, ScreenZen, Opal, Brick, RescueTime, and FocusMe to create virtually unbreakable blocks. My new "Night Brick" automation runs automatically at 10:30 p.m., blocking all social media, news apps, and smartphone/tablet internet browsers. "Stop Distractions for 24 Hours" does the same but extends the period; I push a button on my phone and iPad to trigger this manually whenever I think "I'm overwhelmed and need to focus" or "I want to preserve time for reading, writing, and family this weekend." 2. Router-level blocking. I replaced my ISP's router with an ASUS one that has built-in parental controls, then configured it to shut off internet access for specified devices at 10:30 every night. There are ways around most blocking technologies, but the more friction you create between yourself and the distractions you're trying to avoid, the less likely you'll go to the effort of evading those restrictions. What are some of your favorite ways to avoid tech distractions when your willpower is weakest? #legalwriting #productivity #lawyers

Ever feel like you’re working hard but nothing actually moves? That’s the hidden tax of context-switching and most of us pay it all day long. Research shows it can take up to 23 minutes to climb back into deep focus after even a quick “got a sec?” ping. Multiply that by every Slack, email, and calendar pop-up and you’ll see why the day disappears. Here’s how I cut that tax to almost zero ⬇️ 1. Normalize asynchronous communication Urgency is rarely real. I tell my team: reply when you’re out of deep work, not the second a bubble lights up. It kills the always-on anxiety for everyone. 2. Park tasks outside your head Parking lot > To-dos. If a thought might boomerang while you’re in flow, capture it. Notebook, voice memo, Notion.....anything beats letting it rent space in your brain or causing you to jump from your current focus. 3. Batch, block and box Task batching: answer all email in one swoop Replying to LinkedIn comments at one time Time blocking: label calendar chunks “deep work,” “meetings,” “admin” Time boxing: Give each task a finish line before you start Structure beats willpower every time. 4. Remove the obvious distractions One tab. One window. One screen. Close what you know will drag you into a different head-space before it even tries. I literally ONLY have 1 tab open at a time. What do you think? Which of these is the hardest for you? Start here and you’ll buy back hours of true focus every week.

Digital Detox Challenge: 7 Days That Will Reset Your Brain Chemistry In a world where the average person checks their phone 96 times a day—that's once every 10 minutes—our brains are increasingly wired for distraction. The constant dopamine hits from notifications, likes, and endless scrolling are literally changing our neural pathways. But what if you could reset your brain in just one week? The Science Behind Digital Overwhelm Neuroscientists have observed that excessive screen time triggers the same reward pathways as addictive substances. Each notification delivers a small hit of dopamine, creating a dependency cycle that leaves us constantly craving more digital stimulation while simultaneously feeling more anxious and less focused. Dr. Anna Lembke, author of "Dopamine Nation," explains: "The brain adapts to these constant rewards by downregulating dopamine receptors, making it harder to feel pleasure from everyday activities." This explains why many of us feel strangely empty when separated from our devices—and why a digital detox is so powerful. Your 7-Day Brain Reset Challenge Day 1: Notification Elimination Turn off ALL non-essential notifications. Yes, all of them. Studies show that simply seeing your phone light up activates stress hormones, even if you don't check the message. Day 2: Morning Mindfulness The first 30 minutes after waking are crucial for setting your brain's tone for the day. Replace your morning scroll with meditation, journaling, or simply enjoying your coffee in silence. Day 3: Social Media Sabbatical Delete social media apps from your phone (temporarily). Don't worry—your accounts will still be there when you return, but your brain will thank you for the break from the comparison trap. Day 4: Single-Tasking Our devices have trained us to juggle multiple inputs simultaneously. Today, practice doing just one thing at a time. Research shows this increases both productivity and enjoyment. Day 5: Nature Immersion Spend at least one hour outside without your phone. Nature exposure has been proven to lower cortisol levels and increase activity in the prefrontal cortex—the area responsible for focus and creativity. Day 6: Analog Pleasures Rediscover pre-digital entertainment: read a physical book, play a board game, cook a meal without following an online recipe. Notice how different it feels to engage with the tangible world. Day 7: Intentional Reintegration Today, you'll strategically reintroduce technology with new boundaries. Set specific tech time blocks, create a phone-free bedroom, and decide which digital habits serve you—and which don't. What to Expect Participants in digital detox studies report significant improvements within just one week: 65% report better sleep quality 78% experience reduced anxiety 71% notice improved focus and attention span 89% report feeling more present in conversations One participant described the experience: "By day three, I noticed colors seemed brighter.

Notifications, email, and social media are designed to hijack your attention. Companies literally pay millions of dollars to programmers who work to keep your attention on their program. In law, focus is critical and often hard to come by, as we're pulled in millions of different directions, personally and professionally, all day every day. Constant pings and glaring-red notifications erode our productivity, increase our stress, and make even simple tasks feel overwhelming. When I entered private practice, I thought email and meeting pings were helpful. But, very quickly, they became a trigger and an ever present interrupter of deep work. The result? I was busy, but rarely focused. My best work—the deep, strategic thinking that clients and partners actually value—got squeezed into the margins as I felt compelled to acknowledge every notification that came my way. Now, I take a different approach. I don't use notifications. Ever. Period. My cellphone is always on silent. When I need to get real work done, I switch my devices to “do not disturb,” and close my email entirely. I use Microsoft's "focus" tools to block unscheduled time for focused work. I have an app that blocks distracting apps on my phone and iPad, and which requires physical action to interrupt those scheduled blocks. It’s not always easy, I do often have to add meetings/calls to those spaces, or I give in to doom scroll, because I'm a human, not a robot. But, overall, the intentionality and reminder to protect at least some time for deep work (or undistracted time at home) has improved my focus and work product. If you’re looking to go further, I recommend Cal Newport’s books “Deep Work” and “Digital Minimalism.” They offer practical strategies for reclaiming your attention and building habits that support real, meaningful work. ♥️ ✌🏻🔥 Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Husch Blackwell LLP or any other organization. Examples are generalized and do not reflect current client matters or firm positions.