How to Reclaim Your Attention in a Distracted World
If you’ve felt scattered, restless, or quietly fatigued by the pace of modern life, you’re not alone. In this post, I explore the quiet cost of distraction and share practical ways to protect your attention and focus.
Renée | Creating the Beautiful Life
5 min read
It is often said that time is our most precious resource. That was, perhaps, true at one time. However, today, I believe that it’s our attention. And it’s slipping away, without us even realizing it.
I rarely used to think about the idea of attention. I’m old enough to remember life without social media, smartphones, and even the internet.
Back then, we moved from one task to the next, from one conversation to another, and from one thought to another. Our attention was simply built into our daily lives.
Today, our attention has become something we must consciously protect.
We live in a world where we are constantly being interrupted. How can we stay focused when notifications pop up throughout the day on our phones? When news headlines are vying for our attention 24/7? And when algorithms learn our online habits, then begin drawing us in even more?
Even moments meant for quiet—an evening at home or a celebration dinner with loved ones—can be constantly interrupted by the noise of our modern times.
If you’re anything like me, you feel this tension.
It’s like something is being pulled from us, slowly. Moment by moment, and often without even recognizing it, our attention is fragmented; we feel scattered, restless, and fatigued.
It’s a challenging predicament because technology is not all bad. I love being able to text one of my children during a meeting, when I otherwise couldn’t communicate with them. I love FaceTimeing loved ones who live far away. And I love all the many apps that make my life easier than it was pre-technology, like bill paying, GPS, and calendar reminders, just to name a few.
Reclaiming our attention is not about rejecting this modern digital life; however, it is about intentionally choosing how we use it.
Why Attention Matters More Than We Realize
Attention is not just about being able to focus. Our attention affects how we experience our days—and strung together, our lives.
Whatever we allow our minds to take in and absorb—that is quite literally shaping us: who we are, how we live our lives, how we listen and care for those around us, and how calm or anxious we feel.
If our goal is to live more simply, beautifully, and intentionally, then reclaiming our attention is one of the most meaningful disciplines we can practice.
It begins with noticing where our attention goes—and consciously deciding whether that aligns with the kind of life we want to live.
In today’s ever-distracted world, intentionally deciding what gets your focus—and what doesn’t—can become a quiet and powerful form of resistance and a conscious redirecting of our attention toward a life well-lived.
Distraction is a Habit
Have you ever noticed how many times a day you pick up your phone to look at it? I’m not including the times we get notifications, only the times, unbidden, we pick them up. When I did this little exercise in self-awareness, I was surprised.
And what are we doing this for? To make sure we haven’t missed an important text? The fear that we’re missing out on important news? Or is it simply boredom?
Often, the narrative we tell ourselves around this is: “If only I were more disciplined, I wouldn’t keep picking up my phone.”
However, give yourself some grace with the fact that this impulse is not random. It was engineered by those who design apps and smartphones to make us want to (or feel the need to) constantly pick up our phones.
We fill our every moment with input—from podcasts, audiobooks, news, music, YouTube videos, and streaming services. We skim, we scroll, we glance, and we rush. And all the while, our ability for stillness and focus dwindles. In addition, imagine the toll this is taking on our nervous system.
This has become a habit—a habit that we no longer even question.
Given that it has become a habit, we can make some small, doable, and practical changes. The goal is to decide what intentionally has access to our minds.
Create Margin
Protecting your attention means creating margins: visually, auditorially, mentally, and emotionally.
Think about what you allow into your mind, and where you might need to create some white space in your daily life:
Is there constant noise going on in the background of your home?
What sources of information do you look to throughout the day? Are you skimming or engaging them with depth?
Do you create any pockets of silence throughout your day?
How can you reduce decision fatigue?
Decide What and Who Gets Access to Your Mind
We have limitless access to information. However, just because we can access all this information doesn’t mean we should.
When deciding what gets space in your mind, think about all the things you consume daily and weekly: radio programs, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, music, social media, news, magazines, books, etc. Of those things:
What uplifts, strengthens, or inspires you?
What unsettles you or leaves you feeling angry or agitated?
What lingers in your thoughts long after you’ve turned it off?
What adds value rather than noise?
What contributes to your goals and how you want to live your life?
This exercise should offer you much clarity as you begin the editing process.
After you have answered the above, ask yourself:
What am I choosing to eliminate entirely?
What am I choosing to reduce, and if so, by how much?
What am I choosing to keep in place or do more of because they are contributing to my current goals, the kind of person I want to be, and how I want to live my life?
Practical Suggestions
After you have intentionally decided what you will consume—and what you won’t—here are some tips to help you create your own rhythms:
Turn off notifications on your phone and desktop, except for those things that are absolutely essential. For example, on my phone, the only notifications I have are for text messages and calendar reminders because those align with what and who I value most. On my desktop, I’ve turned off all notifications because they disrupt my workflow. What notifications do you get daily that are not essential?
Remove apps from your phone that are not necessary. What are apps on your phone that you could delete entirely? And which are ones that you could access on your desktop at set times, rather than on your phone?
Choose which social media aligns with your life and delete the rest. Then, decide how and when you will engage with the platform(s) you have decided to keep. For example, I use only one social media app; I don’t have it on my phone, I have notifications turned off, and I set a time to engage with it on my desktop. The goal is to decide in advance what is best for you. This puts you in the driver’s seat rather than feeling pulled in unconsciously.
Choose tasks throughout the day that will get your full attention, without distractions. And put your phone away. For example, during my writing time, I put my phone away, close out all tabs on my computer, and set my timer for how long I will write. I practice this when I’m teaching classes as well. My phone stays in my desk drawer so that I can be fully present for my students.
Put your phone completely away during conversations with family and friends.
Replace Noise with Nourishment
Reclaiming attention is not simply about removing distractions—it is about returning to what feeds you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
For example:
Reading an article or book slowly, rather than skimming
Walking without earbuds to hear the sounds of nature, your neighborhood, and your own thoughts
Writing by hand, away from any technology
Spending time in spaces that make you feel settled and calm
Moving through your daily routines at a pace that works for you, rather than constantly rushing
Preparing a meal without multitasking, so that your senses can fully be absorbed in the experience
Attention as a Way of Living
When you begin making small, daily changes to reclaim your attention, I can tell you from personal experience that wonderful side effects come from it.
Your nervous system has time to process and calibrate
Your home feels more peaceful and grounded
Your life (and your attention) feels more yours
In a world competing for your constant focus, choosing where your attention goes is a quiet form of freedom—and a path to a more beautiful, intentional life.