Experts Offer Science-Based Strategies to Beat Phone Distractions and Sharpen Focus

Recent data show Americans check their smartphones roughly every five minutes, totaling around five hours of screen time daily, with Generation Z and Millennials leading usage. Psychologists Michael Posner and Gloria Mark describe two attention systems—executive and orienting—and note that frequent notifications disrupt both. To counteract this, they advise keeping phones out of reach, applying app-based limits, and scheduling high-cognition tasks during individual peak-focus windows, typically mid-morning and early afternoon.

Additional recommendations include maintaining a focus diary, taking phone-free walks, and setting specific, challenging goals the night before work. These steps aim to lower error rates, alleviate stress, and address the perceived decline in attention span highlighted by author Johann Hari.