Small habit changes may help protect focus from phone interruptions

Frequent phone alerts can make it harder to stay with a task, and researchers say the fix may start with small changes to daily routines. Patricia Morada Macabulos and Anina Rich wrote in The Conversation that attention is limited, easily diverted and affected by how often people switch between activities.

The authors cited data showing the average adult gets at least 46 smartphone push notifications a day, or about one every 20 minutes during waking hours. They also pointed to research linking attention-grabbing phone features with higher stress and lower productivity.

The risks can extend beyond work or study, according to the authors. They cited Australian road safety data that attributes 29 deaths each year on Australian roads to phone-related distraction.

Why alerts pull attention away

Macabulos and Rich described attention as a selective brain process that helps people concentrate on relevant information while screening out other input. That system weighs personal goals against events in the surrounding environment.

Sudden signals can override the task at hand because, from an evolutionary perspective, rapid shifts of attention helped people detect danger, the authors wrote. In modern settings, the same system can be triggered by less urgent cues, including a phone buzz or social media alert.

Digital platforms are built to seize and hold attention by engaging reward and motivation systems, according to the researchers. That can make alerts tied to social rewards, such as a like or new message, harder to ignore.

Task switching is the problem

The authors said recent research suggests constant interruptions may affect concentration by increasing the frequency of switching between activities, rather than by changing the basic capacity to focus. They also challenged the common idea that people can multitask on demanding work.

Attention has limits, Macabulos and Rich wrote, so people generally shift rapidly from one task to another instead of processing two demanding tasks at the same time. Research they cited has found task switching can hurt performance on one or both tasks, even when the activity is familiar or predictable.

Steps the authors recommend

The researchers said focus is shaped by several factors, including sleep and health conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. They said some habits may still help people strengthen attention over time.

• Cut device interruptions. The authors suggested using phone focus modes to restrict notifications, especially during work or driving. They also recommended turning off app alerts and checking them at set times, with timers to keep those checks brief.

• Be careful with focus apps. Screen-time tools may help, according to the authors, but they warned against apps that turn time away from the phone into a game because those features are also designed to attract attention. They favored tools that discourage use and provide data for reflecting on habits.

• Choose activities that require sustained attention. Macabulos and Rich cited research suggesting that immersive activities such as playing music or competitive sport a few times a week may improve attention because they require extended focus toward a goal.

• Use structured work blocks. The authors pointed to Pomodoro timers as one option, with 25 minutes of focused work followed by a five-minute break.

• Protect sleep from screens. The researchers cited studies showing people who keep devices out of bedrooms and avoid screens before bed sleep better, with possible benefits for next-day focus.

Macabulos and Rich also advised against filling every spare moment with a device. They cited research suggesting that pauses for mind-wandering can help the brain process information and connect ideas, which may support creativity.

This story draws on original reporting from Medical Xpress.