# Indistractable
Author:: Nir Eyal
## Highlights
> As philosopher Paul Virilio wrote, “When you invent the ship, you also invent the shipwreck. ([Location 181](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=181))
> Removing online technology didn’t work. I’d just replaced one distraction with another. ([Location 231](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=231))
> Being indistractable isn’t about being a Luddite. ([Location 272](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=272))
> Tantalus’s punishment was to yearn for things he desired but could never grasp. ([Location 283](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=283))
> We can think of traction as the actions that draw us toward what we want in life. On the left side is distraction, the opposite of traction. Derived from the same Latin root, the word means the “drawing away of the mind.” Distractions impede us from making progress toward the life we envision. All behaviors, whether they tend toward traction or distraction, are prompted by triggers, internal or external. ([Location 293](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=293))
> Being indistractable means striving to do what you say you will do. Indistractable people are as honest with themselves as they are with others. If you care about your work, your family, and your physical and mental well-being, you must learn how to become indistractable. ([Location 334](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=334))
> Even when we think we’re seeking pleasure, we’re actually driven by the desire to free ourselves from the pain of wanting. ([Location 396](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=396))
> the drive to relieve discomfort is the root cause of all our behavior, while everything else is a proximate cause. ([Location 400](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=400))
> If distraction costs us time, then time management is pain management. ([Location 463](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=463))
> Evolution favored dissatisfaction over contentment. Our tendencies toward boredom, negativity bias, rumination, and hedonic adaptation conspire to make sure we’re never satisfied for long. ([Location 532](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=532))
> Dissatisfaction is responsible for our species’ advancements as much as its faults. It is an innate power that can be channeled to help us make things better. ([Location 534](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=534))
> Without techniques for disarming temptation, mental abstinence can backfire. Resisting an urge can trigger rumination and make the desire grow stronger. ([Location 590](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=590))
> STEP 1: LOOK FOR THE DISCOMFORT THAT PRECEDES THE DISTRACTION, FOCUSING IN ON THE INTERNAL TRIGGER ([Location 601](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=601))
> STEP 2: WRITE DOWN THE TRIGGER Bricker advises writing down the trigger, whether or not you subsequently give in to the distraction. He recommends noting the time of day, what you were doing, and how you felt when you noticed the internal trigger that led to the distracting behavior “as soon as you are aware of the behavior,” ([Location 606](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=606))
> STEP 3: EXPLORE YOUR SENSATIONS Bricker then recommends getting curious about that sensation. For example, do your fingers twitch when you’re about to be distracted? ([Location 616](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=616))
> STEP 4: BEWARE OF LIMINAL MOMENTS Liminal moments are transitions from one thing to another throughout our days. ([Location 627](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=627))
> psychologists call “surfing the urge.” When an urge takes hold, noticing the sensations and riding them like a wave—neither pushing them away nor acting on them—helps us cope until the feelings subside. ([Location 639](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=639))
> “It’s a curious truth that when you gently pay attention to negative emotions, they tend to dissipate—but positive ones expand.” ([Location 646](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=646))
> Fun and play don’t have to make us feel good per se; rather, they can be used as tools to keep us focused. ([Location 672](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=672))
> Bogost tells us that “fun is the aftermath of deliberately manipulating a familiar situation in a new way.” The answer, therefore, is to focus on the task itself. Instead of running away from our pain or using rewards like prizes and treats to help motivate us, the idea is to pay such close attention that you find new challenges you didn’t see before. Those new challenges provide the novelty to engage our attention and maintain focus when tempted by distraction. ([Location 677](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=677))
> Play doesn’t have to be pleasurable. It just has to hold our attention. ([Location 712](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=712))
> Addicts’ beliefs regarding their powerlessness was just as significant in determining whether they would relapse after treatment as their level of physical dependence. ([Location 771](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=771))
> The Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote, “People are frugal in guarding their personal property; but as soon as it comes to squandering time, they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.” ([Location 823](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=823))
> If we don’t plan our days, someone else will. ([Location 827](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=827))
> Instead of starting with what we’re going to do, we should begin with why we’re going to do it. And to do that, we must begin with our values. ([Location 831](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=831))
> You can’t call something a distraction unless you know what it’s distracting you from. ([Location 857](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=857))
> Keeping a timeboxed schedule is the only way to know if you’re distracted. ([Location 869](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=869))
> hours. In fact, studies have found that workers who spend more than fifty-five hours per week on the job have reduced productivity; ([Location 1096](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1096))
> Syncing your schedule with stakeholders at work is critical for making time for traction in your day. Without visibility into how you spend your time, colleagues and managers are more likely to distract you with superfluous tasks. • Sync as frequently as your schedule changes. If your schedule template changes from day to day, have a daily check-in. However, most people find a weekly alignment is sufficient. ([Location 1147](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1147))
> It’s time for us to hack back. In tech speak, “to hack” means “to gain unauthorized access to data in a system or computer.” Similarly, our tech devices can gain unauthorized access to our brains by prompting us to distraction. ([Location 1175](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1175))
> “mass interpersonal persuasion.” Several ([Location 1183](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1183))
> Defend your focus. Signal when you do not want to be interrupted. Use a screen sign or some other clear cue to let people know you are indistractable. ([Location 1317](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1317))
> OPEN UP OFFICE HOURS ([Location 1359](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1359))
> Following the maxim that the key to receiving fewer emails is sending fewer emails, it’s worth considering how we can slow down the email ping-pong game by sending emails well after you write them. After all, who made the rule that every email needs to be sent as soon as you’re done writing it? ([Location 1374](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1374))
> Jason Fried says group chat is “like being in an all-day meeting with random participants and no agenda.” ([Location 1444](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1444))
> RULE 1: USE IT LIKE A SAUNA ([Location 1456](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1456))
> We should use group chat in the same way we use other synchronous communication channels. We wouldn’t choose to participate in a conference call that lasted for a whole day, so the same goes for group chat. Fried recommends we “treat chat like a sauna—stay a while but then get out . . . it’s unhealthy to stay too long.” ([Location 1457](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1457))
> RULE 2: SCHEDULE IT ([Location 1464](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1464))
> To hack back, schedule time in your day to catch up on group chats, just as you would for any other task in your timeboxed calendar. It’s important to set colleagues’ expectations by letting them know when you plan to be unavailable. ([Location 1466](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1466))
> RULE 3: BE PICKY When it comes to group chat, be selective about who’s invited to the conversation. Fried advises, “Don’t get everyone on the line. The smaller the chat, the better the chat.” ([Location 1470](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1470))
> Instead of using group chat for long arguments and hurried decisions, it’s better to ask participants in the conversation to articulate their point in a document and share it after they’ve compiled their thoughts. ([Location 1481](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1481))
> Certainly, collaboration has its place, but meetings should not be used as a distraction from doing the hard work of thinking. ([Location 1502](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1502))
> One of the easiest ways to prevent superfluous meetings is to require two things of anyone who calls one. First, meeting organizers must circulate an agenda of what problem will be discussed. No agenda, no meeting. Second, they must give their best shot at a solution in the form of a brief, written digest. The digest need not be more than a page or two discussing the problem, their reasoning, and their recommendation. ([Location 1505](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1505))
> To stay indistractable in meetings, we must rid them of nearly all screens. ([Location 1525](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1525))
> REMEMBER THIS • Make it harder to call a meeting. To call a meeting, the organizer must circulate an agenda and briefing document. • Meetings are for consensus building. With few exceptions, creative problem-solving should occur before the meeting, individually or in very small groups. • Be fully present. People use devices during meetings to escape monotony and boredom, which subsequently makes meetings even worse. • Have one laptop per meeting. ([Location 1548](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1548))
> As you can imagine, as a writer, I use the web for research every day. However, whenever I discover a new article, I no longer read it in my web browser right away. Instead, I’ve time-shifted when and how I read online, thereby removing the temptation to read for longer than I intend. Here’s how: I started by installing an app called Pocket on my phone, along with its browser extension on my laptop. In order to abide by my “never read articles in my browser” rule, I simply click the Pocket button in my browser every time I see an article I’d like to read. ([Location 1733](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1733))
> However, although we can only receive information from one visual or auditory source at a time, we are perfectly capable of processing multichannel inputs. Scientists call this “cross-modal attention,” and it allows our brains to place certain mental processes on autopilot while we think about other things. As long as we’re not required to concentrate too much on any one channel, we’re able to do more than one thing at a time. ([Location 1756](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1756))
> For example, some types of learning are enhanced when people also engage their auditory, visual, and tactile senses at the same time. ([Location 1762](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1762))
> there’s another way to avoid distractions on these and other feed-based social networking sites: bypass the feed using a clever bookmarking protocol. ([Location 1819](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1819))
> After we’ve learned to master internal triggers, make time for traction, and hack back external triggers, the last step to becoming indistractable involves preventing ourselves from sliding into distraction. To do so, we must learn a powerful technique called a “precommitment,” which involves removing a future choice in order to overcome our impulsivity. ([Location 1876](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1876))
> In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses resists the Sirens’ song by making a precommitment and successfully avoiding the distraction. A “Ulysses pact” is defined as “a freely made decision that is designed and intended to bind oneself in the future,” and is a type of precommitment we still use today. ([Location 1891](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1891))
> If we haven’t fundamentally dealt with the internal triggers driving us toward distraction, as we learned in part one, we’ll be set up for failure. Similarly, if we haven’t set aside time for traction, as we learned in part two, our precommitments will be useless. And finally, if we don’t first remove the external triggers that aren’t serving us before we make a precommitment, it’s likely not going to work. Precommitments are the last line of defense preventing us from sliding into distraction. ([Location 1901](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1901))
> Adding a bit of additional effort forces us to ask if a distraction is worth it. ([Location 1941](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1941))
> In previous generations, social pressure helped us stay on task—before the invention of the personal computer, procrastinating at our desks was obvious to the entire office. ([Location 1946](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1946))
> An effort pact prevents distraction by making unwanted behaviors more difficult to do. • In the age of the personal computer, social pressure to stay on task has largely disappeared. No one can see what you’re working on, so it’s easier to slack off. Working next to a colleague or friend for a set period of time can be a highly effective effort pact. • You can use tech to stay off tech. Apps like SelfControl, Forest, and Focusmate can help you make effort pacts. ([Location 1970](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1970))
> A price pact is a type of precommitment that involves putting money on the line to encourage us to do what we say we will. ([Location 1981](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1981))
> PITFALL 1: PRICE PACTS AREN’T GOOD AT CHANGING BEHAVIORS WITH EXTERNAL TRIGGERS YOU CAN’T ESCAPE ([Location 2033](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2033))
> This kind of precommitment is not recommended when you can’t remove the external trigger associated with the behavior. ([Location 2034](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2034))
> PITFALL 2: PRICE PACTS SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR SHORT TASKS ([Location 2040](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2040))
> If we are bound by a pact for too long, we begin to associate it with punishment, which can spawn counterproductive effects, such as resentment of the task or goal. ([Location 2042](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2042))
> PITFALL 3: ENTERING A PRICE PACT IS SCARY ([Location 2044](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2044))
> PITFALL 4: PRICE PACTS AREN’T FOR PEOPLE WHO BEAT THEMSELVES UP ([Location 2050](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2050))
> Price pacts work best when the distraction is temporary. ([Location 2065](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2065))
> One of the most effective ways to change our behavior is to change our identity. ([Location 2076](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2076))
> To leverage the power of identity to prevent distraction, we can enter into what I call an “identity pact,” which is a precommitment to a self-image that helps us pursue what we really want. ([Location 2105](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2105))
> Their results consistently show that teaching others provides more motivation for the teacher to change their own behavior than if the teacher learned from an expert. ([Location 2127](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2127))
> “Even when they are not embedded in years of tradition, simple rituals can help us build personal discipline and self-control.” ([Location 2145](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2145))
> Perlow describes how the pressure employees feel to be constantly on-call gets amplified in what she calls the “cycle of responsiveness.” ([Location 2243](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2243))
> The researchers found five key dynamics that set successful teams apart. The first four were dependability, structure and clarity, meaning of work, and impact of work. However, the fifth dynamic was without doubt the most important and actually underpinned the other four. It was something called psychological safety. ([Location 2324](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2324))
> Individuals on teams with higher psychological safety are less likely to leave Google, they’re more likely to harness the power of diverse ideas from their teammates, they bring in more revenue, and they’re rated as effective twice as often by executives. ([Location 2327](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2327))
> The term “psychological safety” was coined by Amy Edmondson, an organizational behavioral scientist at Harvard. In her TEDx talk, Edmondson defines psychological safety as “a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.” ([Location 2329](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2329))
> How does a team—or a company, for that matter—create psychological safety? Edmondson provides a three-step answer in her talk: • Step 1: “Frame the work as a learning problem, not an execution problem.” Because the future is uncertain, emphasize that “we’ve got to have everyone’s brains and voices in the game.” • Step 2: “Acknowledge your own fallibility.” Managers need to let people know that nobody has all the answers—we’re in this together. • Step 3: Finally, leaders must “model curiosity and ask lots of questions.” ([Location 2342](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2342))
> Distractions satisfy deficiencies. When our kids’ psychological needs are not met in the real world, they go looking for satisfaction—often in virtual environments. ([Location 2668](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2668))
> In a similar way, digital devices can prompt others’ behaviors. When one person takes out a phone at dinner, it acts as an external trigger. Soon, others are lost in their screens, at the expense of the conversation. Psychologists call this phenomenon “social contagion,” and researchers have found that it influences our behaviors, from drug use to overeating. ([Location 2905](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2905))
> when those around us haven’t changed theirs? Essayist and investor Paul Graham writes that societies tend to develop “social antibodies”—defenses against new harmful behaviors. ([Location 2912](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2912))
---
Title: Indistractable
Author: Nir Eyal
Tags: readwise, books
date: 2024-01-30
---
# Indistractable
Author:: Nir Eyal
## AI-Generated Summary
None
## Highlights
> As philosopher Paul Virilio wrote, “When you invent the ship, you also invent the shipwreck. ([Location 181](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=181))
> Removing online technology didn’t work. I’d just replaced one distraction with another. ([Location 231](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=231))
> Being indistractable isn’t about being a Luddite. ([Location 272](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=272))
> Tantalus’s punishment was to yearn for things he desired but could never grasp. ([Location 283](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=283))
> We can think of traction as the actions that draw us toward what we want in life. On the left side is distraction, the opposite of traction. Derived from the same Latin root, the word means the “drawing away of the mind.” Distractions impede us from making progress toward the life we envision. All behaviors, whether they tend toward traction or distraction, are prompted by triggers, internal or external. ([Location 293](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=293))
> Being indistractable means striving to do what you say you will do. Indistractable people are as honest with themselves as they are with others. If you care about your work, your family, and your physical and mental well-being, you must learn how to become indistractable. ([Location 334](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=334))
> Even when we think we’re seeking pleasure, we’re actually driven by the desire to free ourselves from the pain of wanting. ([Location 396](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=396))
> the drive to relieve discomfort is the root cause of all our behavior, while everything else is a proximate cause. ([Location 400](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=400))
> If distraction costs us time, then time management is pain management. ([Location 463](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=463))
> Evolution favored dissatisfaction over contentment. Our tendencies toward boredom, negativity bias, rumination, and hedonic adaptation conspire to make sure we’re never satisfied for long. ([Location 532](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=532))
> Dissatisfaction is responsible for our species’ advancements as much as its faults. It is an innate power that can be channeled to help us make things better. ([Location 534](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=534))
> Without techniques for disarming temptation, mental abstinence can backfire. Resisting an urge can trigger rumination and make the desire grow stronger. ([Location 590](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=590))
> STEP 1: LOOK FOR THE DISCOMFORT THAT PRECEDES THE DISTRACTION, FOCUSING IN ON THE INTERNAL TRIGGER ([Location 601](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=601))
> STEP 2: WRITE DOWN THE TRIGGER Bricker advises writing down the trigger, whether or not you subsequently give in to the distraction. He recommends noting the time of day, what you were doing, and how you felt when you noticed the internal trigger that led to the distracting behavior “as soon as you are aware of the behavior,” ([Location 606](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=606))
> STEP 3: EXPLORE YOUR SENSATIONS Bricker then recommends getting curious about that sensation. For example, do your fingers twitch when you’re about to be distracted? ([Location 616](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=616))
> STEP 4: BEWARE OF LIMINAL MOMENTS Liminal moments are transitions from one thing to another throughout our days. ([Location 627](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=627))
> psychologists call “surfing the urge.” When an urge takes hold, noticing the sensations and riding them like a wave—neither pushing them away nor acting on them—helps us cope until the feelings subside. ([Location 639](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=639))
> “It’s a curious truth that when you gently pay attention to negative emotions, they tend to dissipate—but positive ones expand.” ([Location 646](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=646))
> Fun and play don’t have to make us feel good per se; rather, they can be used as tools to keep us focused. ([Location 672](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=672))
> Bogost tells us that “fun is the aftermath of deliberately manipulating a familiar situation in a new way.” The answer, therefore, is to focus on the task itself. Instead of running away from our pain or using rewards like prizes and treats to help motivate us, the idea is to pay such close attention that you find new challenges you didn’t see before. Those new challenges provide the novelty to engage our attention and maintain focus when tempted by distraction. ([Location 677](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=677))
> Play doesn’t have to be pleasurable. It just has to hold our attention. ([Location 712](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=712))
> Addicts’ beliefs regarding their powerlessness was just as significant in determining whether they would relapse after treatment as their level of physical dependence. ([Location 771](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=771))
> The Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote, “People are frugal in guarding their personal property; but as soon as it comes to squandering time, they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.” ([Location 823](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=823))
> If we don’t plan our days, someone else will. ([Location 827](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=827))
> Instead of starting with what we’re going to do, we should begin with why we’re going to do it. And to do that, we must begin with our values. ([Location 831](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=831))
> You can’t call something a distraction unless you know what it’s distracting you from. ([Location 857](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=857))
> Keeping a timeboxed schedule is the only way to know if you’re distracted. ([Location 869](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=869))
> hours. In fact, studies have found that workers who spend more than fifty-five hours per week on the job have reduced productivity; ([Location 1096](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1096))
> Syncing your schedule with stakeholders at work is critical for making time for traction in your day. Without visibility into how you spend your time, colleagues and managers are more likely to distract you with superfluous tasks. • Sync as frequently as your schedule changes. If your schedule template changes from day to day, have a daily check-in. However, most people find a weekly alignment is sufficient. ([Location 1147](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1147))
> It’s time for us to hack back. In tech speak, “to hack” means “to gain unauthorized access to data in a system or computer.” Similarly, our tech devices can gain unauthorized access to our brains by prompting us to distraction. ([Location 1175](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1175))
> “mass interpersonal persuasion.” Several ([Location 1183](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1183))
> Defend your focus. Signal when you do not want to be interrupted. Use a screen sign or some other clear cue to let people know you are indistractable. ([Location 1317](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1317))
> OPEN UP OFFICE HOURS ([Location 1359](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1359))
> Following the maxim that the key to receiving fewer emails is sending fewer emails, it’s worth considering how we can slow down the email ping-pong game by sending emails well after you write them. After all, who made the rule that every email needs to be sent as soon as you’re done writing it? ([Location 1374](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1374))
> Jason Fried says group chat is “like being in an all-day meeting with random participants and no agenda.” ([Location 1444](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1444))
> RULE 1: USE IT LIKE A SAUNA ([Location 1456](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1456))
> We should use group chat in the same way we use other synchronous communication channels. We wouldn’t choose to participate in a conference call that lasted for a whole day, so the same goes for group chat. Fried recommends we “treat chat like a sauna—stay a while but then get out . . . it’s unhealthy to stay too long.” ([Location 1457](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1457))
> RULE 2: SCHEDULE IT ([Location 1464](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1464))
> To hack back, schedule time in your day to catch up on group chats, just as you would for any other task in your timeboxed calendar. It’s important to set colleagues’ expectations by letting them know when you plan to be unavailable. ([Location 1466](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1466))
> RULE 3: BE PICKY When it comes to group chat, be selective about who’s invited to the conversation. Fried advises, “Don’t get everyone on the line. The smaller the chat, the better the chat.” ([Location 1470](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1470))
> Instead of using group chat for long arguments and hurried decisions, it’s better to ask participants in the conversation to articulate their point in a document and share it after they’ve compiled their thoughts. ([Location 1481](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1481))
> Certainly, collaboration has its place, but meetings should not be used as a distraction from doing the hard work of thinking. ([Location 1502](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1502))
> One of the easiest ways to prevent superfluous meetings is to require two things of anyone who calls one. First, meeting organizers must circulate an agenda of what problem will be discussed. No agenda, no meeting. Second, they must give their best shot at a solution in the form of a brief, written digest. The digest need not be more than a page or two discussing the problem, their reasoning, and their recommendation. ([Location 1505](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1505))
> To stay indistractable in meetings, we must rid them of nearly all screens. ([Location 1525](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1525))
> REMEMBER THIS • Make it harder to call a meeting. To call a meeting, the organizer must circulate an agenda and briefing document. • Meetings are for consensus building. With few exceptions, creative problem-solving should occur before the meeting, individually or in very small groups. • Be fully present. People use devices during meetings to escape monotony and boredom, which subsequently makes meetings even worse. • Have one laptop per meeting. ([Location 1548](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1548))
> As you can imagine, as a writer, I use the web for research every day. However, whenever I discover a new article, I no longer read it in my web browser right away. Instead, I’ve time-shifted when and how I read online, thereby removing the temptation to read for longer than I intend. Here’s how: I started by installing an app called Pocket on my phone, along with its browser extension on my laptop. In order to abide by my “never read articles in my browser” rule, I simply click the Pocket button in my browser every time I see an article I’d like to read. ([Location 1733](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1733))
> However, although we can only receive information from one visual or auditory source at a time, we are perfectly capable of processing multichannel inputs. Scientists call this “cross-modal attention,” and it allows our brains to place certain mental processes on autopilot while we think about other things. As long as we’re not required to concentrate too much on any one channel, we’re able to do more than one thing at a time. ([Location 1756](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1756))
> For example, some types of learning are enhanced when people also engage their auditory, visual, and tactile senses at the same time. ([Location 1762](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1762))
> there’s another way to avoid distractions on these and other feed-based social networking sites: bypass the feed using a clever bookmarking protocol. ([Location 1819](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1819))
> After we’ve learned to master internal triggers, make time for traction, and hack back external triggers, the last step to becoming indistractable involves preventing ourselves from sliding into distraction. To do so, we must learn a powerful technique called a “precommitment,” which involves removing a future choice in order to overcome our impulsivity. ([Location 1876](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1876))
> In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses resists the Sirens’ song by making a precommitment and successfully avoiding the distraction. A “Ulysses pact” is defined as “a freely made decision that is designed and intended to bind oneself in the future,” and is a type of precommitment we still use today. ([Location 1891](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1891))
> If we haven’t fundamentally dealt with the internal triggers driving us toward distraction, as we learned in part one, we’ll be set up for failure. Similarly, if we haven’t set aside time for traction, as we learned in part two, our precommitments will be useless. And finally, if we don’t first remove the external triggers that aren’t serving us before we make a precommitment, it’s likely not going to work. Precommitments are the last line of defense preventing us from sliding into distraction. ([Location 1901](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1901))
> Adding a bit of additional effort forces us to ask if a distraction is worth it. ([Location 1941](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1941))
> In previous generations, social pressure helped us stay on task—before the invention of the personal computer, procrastinating at our desks was obvious to the entire office. ([Location 1946](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1946))
> An effort pact prevents distraction by making unwanted behaviors more difficult to do. • In the age of the personal computer, social pressure to stay on task has largely disappeared. No one can see what you’re working on, so it’s easier to slack off. Working next to a colleague or friend for a set period of time can be a highly effective effort pact. • You can use tech to stay off tech. Apps like SelfControl, Forest, and Focusmate can help you make effort pacts. ([Location 1970](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1970))
> A price pact is a type of precommitment that involves putting money on the line to encourage us to do what we say we will. ([Location 1981](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=1981))
> PITFALL 1: PRICE PACTS AREN’T GOOD AT CHANGING BEHAVIORS WITH EXTERNAL TRIGGERS YOU CAN’T ESCAPE ([Location 2033](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2033))
> This kind of precommitment is not recommended when you can’t remove the external trigger associated with the behavior. ([Location 2034](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2034))
> PITFALL 2: PRICE PACTS SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR SHORT TASKS ([Location 2040](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2040))
> If we are bound by a pact for too long, we begin to associate it with punishment, which can spawn counterproductive effects, such as resentment of the task or goal. ([Location 2042](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2042))
> PITFALL 3: ENTERING A PRICE PACT IS SCARY ([Location 2044](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2044))
> PITFALL 4: PRICE PACTS AREN’T FOR PEOPLE WHO BEAT THEMSELVES UP ([Location 2050](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2050))
> Price pacts work best when the distraction is temporary. ([Location 2065](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2065))
> One of the most effective ways to change our behavior is to change our identity. ([Location 2076](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2076))
> To leverage the power of identity to prevent distraction, we can enter into what I call an “identity pact,” which is a precommitment to a self-image that helps us pursue what we really want. ([Location 2105](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2105))
> Their results consistently show that teaching others provides more motivation for the teacher to change their own behavior than if the teacher learned from an expert. ([Location 2127](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2127))
> “Even when they are not embedded in years of tradition, simple rituals can help us build personal discipline and self-control.” ([Location 2145](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2145))
> Perlow describes how the pressure employees feel to be constantly on-call gets amplified in what she calls the “cycle of responsiveness.” ([Location 2243](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2243))
> The researchers found five key dynamics that set successful teams apart. The first four were dependability, structure and clarity, meaning of work, and impact of work. However, the fifth dynamic was without doubt the most important and actually underpinned the other four. It was something called psychological safety. ([Location 2324](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2324))
> Individuals on teams with higher psychological safety are less likely to leave Google, they’re more likely to harness the power of diverse ideas from their teammates, they bring in more revenue, and they’re rated as effective twice as often by executives. ([Location 2327](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2327))
> The term “psychological safety” was coined by Amy Edmondson, an organizational behavioral scientist at Harvard. In her TEDx talk, Edmondson defines psychological safety as “a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.” ([Location 2329](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2329))
> How does a team—or a company, for that matter—create psychological safety? Edmondson provides a three-step answer in her talk: • Step 1: “Frame the work as a learning problem, not an execution problem.” Because the future is uncertain, emphasize that “we’ve got to have everyone’s brains and voices in the game.” • Step 2: “Acknowledge your own fallibility.” Managers need to let people know that nobody has all the answers—we’re in this together. • Step 3: Finally, leaders must “model curiosity and ask lots of questions.” ([Location 2342](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2342))
> Distractions satisfy deficiencies. When our kids’ psychological needs are not met in the real world, they go looking for satisfaction—often in virtual environments. ([Location 2668](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2668))
> In a similar way, digital devices can prompt others’ behaviors. When one person takes out a phone at dinner, it acts as an external trigger. Soon, others are lost in their screens, at the expense of the conversation. Psychologists call this phenomenon “social contagion,” and researchers have found that it influences our behaviors, from drug use to overeating. ([Location 2905](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2905))
> when those around us haven’t changed theirs? Essayist and investor Paul Graham writes that societies tend to develop “social antibodies”—defenses against new harmful behaviors. ([Location 2912](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B07PG2W6DC&location=2912))