How to Unfuck Your Attention

Alright, cut the shit

No doubt you’re like the rest of us, doom-scrolling TikTok while waiting for an email reply or mindlessly tapping through Instagram stories because your brain can't handle a moment of stillness, congratulations—you’ve been played.

Your attention span is officially worse than a goldfish.

No, really—Microsoft did a study and found the average human attention span has dropped to eight seconds. A goldfish? Nine. You’ve been out-focused by a pet that swims in circles all day.

But it’s not your fault. Your brain’s been hijacked. TikTok, Instagram, endless notifications—they’ve turned your mind into a dopamine junkie, craving the next tiny hit of stimulation. You’re not distracted because you lack discipline. You’re distracted because an entire multi-billion-dollar industry wants you to be.

The modern world has set a trap where every spare second gets filled with digital junk food. The problem isn’t that you’re "bad at focusing"—it’s that your brain has been trained to react rather than act with intent.

Now, the real question: Are you gonna fight back?

The Attention Economy is a Scam, and You're the Product

Here’s the brutal truth: your attention is a commodity. Social media, news apps, and that stupid game you swear you only play “to unwind” are all designed to steal your focus. They give you tiny dopamine hits, making you feel like you're doing something—when in reality, you're just burning time.

And this isn’t just some conspiracy theory. Studies by neuroscientists and psychologists—like those from the Center for Humane Technology and research by Cal Newport—show that social media apps are engineered to exploit the brain’s reward system.

The variable reward system, the same mechanism used in slot machines, makes you keep coming back, because you never know what you’ll get next. This creates a dependency cycle, reinforcing the habit of checking your phone whenever there’s a spare second.

These apps are snackable distractions that keep you hooked because:

1. They make you feel productive (even when you’re absolutely not).
2. They're just short enough to convince you you're not wasting time (spoiler: you are).
3. They serve up content that feels valuable—so your brain justifies the time spent.

This is by design. They need your attention. They profit off of your distraction. And unless you actively fight back, you’ll keep handing it over like a zombie tapping on a screen.

The NEXT BEST ACTION Rule: Your Secret Weapon Against Distraction

The fix? Stop letting your attention wander aimlessly and set an intention instead. Enter the NEXT BEST ACTION Rule—a ridiculously simple but highly effective way to reclaim your time.

This isn’t just some cute productivity hack—it’s a full-blown strategy to rewire your brain away from distraction and toward action.

I learned this the hard way. A while back, I found myself constantly picking up my phone while waiting for things—emails, meetings, downloads, you name it. I convinced myself I was "just checking something quickly."

Spoiler: I wasn't. I'd get sucked into a rabbit hole of nonsense, only to snap back ten minutes later, wondering what I was even doing.

So, I made a rule: every time I reached for my phone, I had to stop and ask myself—what’s the next best action I could take instead? If I was waiting on an email, could I draft another one? If I was waiting for a process to finish, could I outline my next task?

Even something as small as jotting down a note made a difference.

How the NEXT BEST ACTION Rule Works:

1. Recognise the moment – When you hit that “waiting” phase (for a reply, for a process to finish, whatever), notice the impulse to pick up your phone.
2. Ask yourself: What’s the NEXT BEST ACTION? – Instead of defaulting to the dopamine dispenser in your pocket, do something intentional.
3. Replace, don’t resist – Your brain craves engagement, so give it something better. Read a page of a book, scribble down notes, order your groceries, brainstorm ideas. Anything but mindless scrolling.

This is where the magic happens. The goal isn’t to eliminate distractions—it’s to replace them with micro-tasks that actually serve you. And no, “just checking” Instagram doesn’t count.

Every time you apply this rule, you’re reclaiming control. You’re no longer just reacting—you’re taking charge of your time. The more you use it, the more automatic it becomes, until your default response to boredom isn’t grabbing your phone—it’s doing something meaningful.

Why You Need to Weaponise Focus Modes

Technology created this mess, but it can also help you fix it. Your phone isn’t the enemy; it’s just a poorly trained assistant. So, retrain it.

Here’s how:

• Set up focus modes that actually work – Most people slap on “Do Not Disturb” and call it a day. Nah. Go nuclear. Block social media apps. Silence non-essential notifications. Make it so that when your brain reaches for a dopamine hit, it finds nothing.
• Use automation to lock yourself in – iOS Shortcuts (or Android equivalents) can auto-trigger focus modes when you open specific apps. Set up your Pomodoro timer to instantly activate work mode. This way, you’re making an active choice to focus.
• Increase the friction to escape focus mode – Don’t let it turn off when you close an app. Force yourself to manually disable it. The harder it is to break focus, the longer you’ll stay in deep work mode.

Pomodoro? Sure, But Make It Work for You

So you've got your focus mode set up and you're ready to actually get things done. Great. But how do you structure that time? Enter Pomodoro—except, let’s tweak it so it actually works for you.

Everyone loves the Pomodoro technique—25-minute work sprints with 5-minute breaks. But let’s be blatantly obvious: 25 minutes isn’t enough for deep work.

Instead, tweak it:

• Work in 45-minute bursts – This gives you enough time to actually get into a task before stopping.
• Experiment with different focus times – Not everyone thrives in the same time blocks. Some people work best in 90-minute cycles, while others prefer shorter bursts. Find what works for you and adapt.
• Use your breaks intentionally – Don’t scroll. Stand up, move, breathe, grab a drink. Do anything except fall back into the attention void.
• Tie it to focus modes – When you start a Pomodoro, have it automatically lock your distractions away.

It’s all about breaking the habit of reacting to boredom with digital junk food.
Flexibility is key, so don’t be afraid to tweak the system to fit your rhythm.

Attention is the Currency—Intention is the Escape Plan

At the end of the day, this all boils down to one thing: being deliberate. Your attention is valuable, but only if you control where it goes.

• Stop letting algorithms decide what you focus on.
• Set up systems that force you into deep work.
• Make intentionality your default setting.

Attention is currency, but intention is the weapon that lets you spend it wisely. Choose wisely—or keep doom-scrolling while life happens around you. Your call.

And here’s the kicker—this isn’t just about today. The more you build intention into your daily habits, the more control you take back over your time, your focus, and ultimately, your life.

So, here’s a challenge for you: Try the Next Best Action Rule right now. Next time you reach for your phone out of habit, stop and ask—what’s the next best action I could take instead? Something that actually moves the needle.

Start small, but start now.
See how much of your time you can reclaim.