Are all the modern devices and digital conveniences we have at our disposal — from the web and social media to smartphones and tablets — making us more distracted and less able to concentrate? And is this harming our ability to think and be creative, and therefore by extension harming society as a whole? It’s a question that rears its head from time to time. One of the latest expressions of this fear comes from Joe Kraus, a serial entrepreneur who is now a partner with Google Ventures and gave a presentation recently about his concerns, offering an alternative concept he calls “Slow Tech.” But is this really something that we need to be afraid of?

In his presentation, Kraus argues that the incessant demands of cellphones and social media, not to mention email and other forms of distraction, are making it difficult for us to connect with other people — including our families — and also endangering our ability to think about anything other than the next jolt of stimulation from the devices we have all around us, which he compares to the constant stimulus of a slot machine at a casino. As he describes it:

We are creating and encouraging a culture of distraction where we are increasingly disconnected from the people and events around us, and increasingly unable to engage in long-form thinking. People now feel anxious when their brains are unstimulated.

We are losing some very important things by doing this. We threaten the key ingredients behind creativity and insight by filling up all our ‘gap’ time with stimulation. And we inhibit real human connection when we prioritize our phones over the people right in front of us.

Is multi-tasking just a myth?

Kraus says he has an “unhealthy relationship” with his phone and is constantly pulling it out to check things, and that if he lets it, that behaviour “fills up those gaps in my day — some gaps of boredom, some of solitude.” The effect of all of this, he argues, is that we are increasingly distracted, and less able to pay attention to anything for a reasonable length of time, and this distraction is a “worsening condition.” We may think that we are getting things accomplished or multi-tasking, he says, but brain studies show that multi-tasking is a myth, and in reality we are just trying to do too many things at once and overloading our brain’s ability to concentrate.

The Google Ventures partner and former co-founder of Excite.com also quotes sociologist Dr. Sherry Turkle, to the effect that: “We are lonely but fearful of intimacy. Digital connections offer the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship. We expect more from technology and less from each other.”
This explains the constant desire for virtual contact, Kraus says — and that contact gets in the way of real relationships.

Kraus is far from the only one to raise the warning flag about any of this: Turkle has written about how the internet doesn’t help form real relationships, but fosters a kind of fake intimacy. Nicholas Carr argues in his book The Shallows that the internet and social media are making us less intelligent — and less interesting — and are actually changing our brains in negative ways. Others have also written about how they are trying to minimize the distractions their phones provide in the way of notifications, and there are a host of apps to help you concentrate when you are using your computer.

I would be the first to agree that time without a phone or tablet is a valuable thing, and that it’s good to take long walks (or baths, the place where Archimedes famously discovered the law of hydrostatics) and think big thoughts. And I also wrestle — as Kraus does — with the desire to look at the phone during meals and other times when I am with my family. But is this really a social disaster waiting to happen? And is it changing us and our brains for the worse? I have my doubts about that, just as I have my doubts about Nick Carr’s argument that the internet is making us dumber and less interesting, or that Facebook or any other social network is making us lonely.

Distraction of all kinds can be good as well as bad

Is technology changing, and society along with it? Of course it is — but that doesn’t mean we are becoming worse in some way, or necessarily losing anything crucial. In fact, we are just as likely to be gaining as losing. When Carr made his argument about the distractions of the internet, I had just finished reading a piece that Paul Kedrosky wrote for The Edge collection, in which he argued that one of the things he liked best about the internet and social media was the way in which it bombarded him with random data and content — the way that molecules are bombarded with other particles during quantum research — and that this produced all sorts of wonderful combinations of ideas:

The democratization of connections, collisions and therefore thinking is historically unprecedented. We are the first generation to have the information equivalent of the Large Hadron Collider for ideas. And if that doesn’t change the way you think, nothing will.

Not everyone can consume (or make sense of) quite as many diverse information sources as Kedrosky can, but his point is a good one: the random information flow that we are bathed in when we are online or using social media and devices like smartphones can just as easily be a source of inspiration and creativity as a killer of those things. Why is looking out the window or going for a walk more conducive to reflection than browsing through a friend’s Tumblr stream? I am not against walks or daydreaming — but there are plenty of ways to daydream and think big thoughts, and the shower or the hiking trail is not the only place that happens.

Is there a need for moderation when it comes to phones or the internet or social media? Of course there is, and social norms are developing around those things, just as they developed around the horseless carriage and the telephone and plenty of other modern inventions. One of the devices that has historically drawn the most criticism from scholars and theologians for its corrupting effect on humanity seems to have worked out pretty well — it’s called the book. If we can figure that out, I’m sure we can figure out how to handle cellphones and status updates.

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The next time you’re stuck in a public place trying to get something done, try these tips for ignoring the noise, and boosting your output.

1. Use Earplugs

A very cheap solution to the noise problem, earplugs are easy to carry, simple and effective. If you’re trapped on a rowdy train, or relegated to a busy corner of a cafe, earplugs can provide an effective barrier between you and the world at large. The one issue you may find is that you may not realize immediately when you’re being spoken to by another person.

Some find earplugs uncomfortable, so shop around for a pair that suits you — I find foam earplugs more comfortable than plastic. Also consider whether you plan to use your earplugs for another purpose — sleeping, reducing ear canal pressure while you’re flying, etc. — and consider whether a task-specific pair of earplugs might also be suitable for blocking noise in a public space.

2. Wear Noise-canceling Headphones

If you’ve ever had noise-canceling headphones, you’ll know that they don’t need to play music in order to block ambient noise: simply turn them on and things suddenly become more serene. You’ll also know that they don’t block all noise, but they do a lot to reduce monotonous ambient noise, and dull the general din of everyday life.

Of course, if you listen to a lot of music and other audio while you work, you may decide to ditch your existing headphones and get a noise-canceling pair for everyday use.

Noise-canceling headphones can be expensive, and you really do get what you pay for when it comes to this kind of product. If you travel a lot, you might be able to justify investing in a high-end pair that covers the whole of your outer ear (and you might be able to buy them duty-free); if you plan to use them less frequently, the smaller ear-bud style might be all you need. In my experience, though, these tend to be less effective than the larger models. Again, shop around and try a few models before you make your decision.

3. Non-technical Options

There are no-cost, non-technical options that can allow you to get work done in public spaces. The options vary depending on where you’re working:

• If you’re in a library, try to find a quiet space or reading room.
• In a cafe, library or similar space, do a quick reconnaissance before you sit down, to work out which part of the cafe has the fewest people (is it the spot near the window, by the stairs, or in the garden out the back?); avoid tables by the coffee machine, bar and register. If you can’t find somewhere that looks good, try a different location.
• If you find yourself getting distracted, take a few minutes to close your eyes, breathe deeply and relax while focusing on the goal you need to achieve. Relaxing can reduce your agitation and stress, and can, in turn, decrease the attention you’re paying to the world around you. By actively calming your mind and focusing on the task at hand, you can improve your concentration enough to get the job done despite that baby crying three seats away.
• Move seats if you really can’t focus and think a different position might be better for you.
• If you want a coffee and some silence, get it to go and head to the nearest park.

What tips can you share from your experiences working in noisy public places when all you need is a little peace?

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So it was with great excitement that I found Digitizd’s recent post, “9 Tools for Simple Productivity,” which highlights Fictive Kin‘s TeuxDeux, a bare-bones, elegantly designed and eminently usable list-based task manager, which also incorporates a “someday list.” (The post also discusses Ommwriter, a tool that was recently covered here at WWD).

TeuxDeux orients the user around days of the week, rather than the traditional task and priority view of most to-do applications. Each day is displayed as a column on a horizontally scrolling carousel; underneath each day is a simple text field and a list of things to do that day.

The simplicity and elegance of the user experience is striking and immediate — a running list of days, one-click editing and a separate list of “someday” tasks.

Though the user experience and clean design is wonderful, TeuxDeux is missing a few useful features — a mobile app or desktop widget would be useful, and I would like to see a lightweight API, or even an RSS feed. It seems however, that the constrained feature set is actually part of the value of TeuxDeux and such distraction-free and simplicity-driven applications are always welcome with its team.

Coincidentally, I just discovered that Netscape luminary Marc Andressen practices a “3 x 5 To Do List“ methodology, writing out three tasks he wishes to accomplish each day, constraining his goals to only those with the highest importance.

Such boundaries and constraints could actually enhance services such as TeuxDeux even further, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the service develops and, in turn, how it affects my own productivity.

Do you use TeuxDeux? Does the constrained feature set enhance its value?

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Photo by Tomás Fano

Last week, I wrote about dealing with the typical home office distractions like loud neighbors, household chores, family members and more by using a few techniques: music, embracing the chaos, and relocation. This week, I’m dealing with a different type of distraction. While I work out of my home most of the time, as a consultant I occasionally need to travel to client sites. For example I’m spending this week in New Jersey providing training and advice about online communities to a new client. And for me, travel is always accompanied by a different set of distractions.

Already, sitting here in my hotel room, I’m struggling to concentrate on blogging. The room is freezing; I’m using my laptop for heat while the room warms up to a civilized temperature. Earlier, I was distracted by the need to head to the lobby for snack food after my healthy dinner salad just wasn’t quite filling my need to munch. I’m also feeling the time pinch. With a day of travel and several days of client meetings, I will still need to find time to keep up with email, other client work, blog posts and more — and somehow get some sleep.

I have a few coping strategies.

Get ahead on your work before you leave. I spent some time this weekend getting a jump-start on my work, and I also typically try to use the time on the plane to catch up on email or write blog posts. Today I had the best intentions of doing work on the plane, but my need for sleep won out, so here I am writing blog posts in my hotel room.

Leave the TV off in the evenings and use the time to work. I’m not a big fan of television, but sometimes I tend to turn it on in hotel rooms even when I don’t really want to watch it. I also find that once I turn it on, it tends to stay on, so the best way for me to focus is to leave it off entirely or at least wait until my work is done.

Squeeze in a little extra work whenever you can. You can catch up on email before breakfast, at lunch and during other downtime to avoid at least some overload when you get back to the room for the evening.

Have fun and get some exercise! We can’t work really long days without a break if we want to maintain our sanity. Walk to dinner, run the stairs or use the hotel gym facilities to get the blood pumping and reduce that sluggish travel feeling.

How do you cope with travel distractions and stay productive during your business travels?

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The point is that the internet is a distracting medium, by and large. As web workers, we need to either practise rigorous self-discipline, or arm ourselves against it with a clever cache of sophisticated weaponry. Since my self-control is sometimes lacking, I want to explore the second option with you today.

For The Compulsive Surfer

As in my example above, I’m sure many people have trouble avoiding a certain list of sites that are prone to constant refreshing throughout the day. If you’re very good, you can allocate time for these so that they don’t cut in to your work day. If you’re not so good, you might want to check out URL Blocker from computerhelp.com.

URL Blocker is a program that lets you block sites of your choosing during times that you specify. It’s like having one of those company wide keyword blockers, but controlled by you and for use at home. The only problem with this program is convincing yourself that you don’t have the power to just turn it off.

If you don’t feel like downloading a dedicated program, or if you’re not running Windows, you can achieve the same basic effect using the Public Fox add-on for Firefox. Again, you’re in complete control, but the bother of having to disable the add-on might be just enough to prevent you wandering.

For The Visually Distracted

Another problem I have with working on a computer is that there’s just too much going on. So many pictures, so many moving, pretty things! How to focus with that kind of thing going on? You could mentally block it out, or you can physically obscure it. I choose the latter, since, as we’ve already established, I’m weak.

The solution? For me, fullscreen word processors do the trick. There’s a couple options for the Mac, with one very recent newcomer to the field. I was in the habit of using Bean or WriteRoom, the benefit of the latter being customizable color schemes, but with the release of iWork ’09, I’ve switched. The reason for the change is that despite the cost, iWork.com is far too appealing.

For Windows, you can get the same effect with Q10 or Darkroom. And if you want to stick with a web-based solution, there’s always Writer.

For the Sound Minded

I realize that my neighbor is doing their renovation work during the day because that’s when most people are away at work, but when you work from home, that drilling is being done during my peak productive hours. I could just turn up my iTunes to drown it out, but I prefer a less-damaging-to-my-ears hardware solution.

After some very disappointing experiences with cheaper models, I’m currently sporting a pair of Sony MDR-NC60 noise cancelling (NC) headphones I picked up for a bargain in Japan. Where I to do it all over again, however, I would opt for the more expensive, but more effective Bose QuietComfort 2 headphones. Not that the Sony’s don’t work but they do produce a faint background hum that can get fairly annoying. With NC headphones, I find that it truly is a matter of getting what you pay for, so be prepared to shell out some cash for true piece of mind.

Once you’ve done away with all the distractions, they’ll be nothing stopping you from getting your work done, except for yourself. Which is actually a scary thought, so I never use all of these nuissance blocking strategies at the same time. Better to keep a scapegoat around than have to take full responsibility, right?

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Except for my new neighbors, of course.  They moved in last week and, since then, it’s been one loud evening after another.

The first thing I attempted was to talk to them.  When they opened their door, it became evident that there were no serious adults to talk to.  The people spread out in the living room looked at most 20 years old, and there were a few beer bottles lying around.  The karaoke machine was on at full blast, blaring out “Close to You” by The Carpenters.  I asked for the owner of the house and a young woman, I’m guessing she was 17, came up to me.  I said the little speech that I’ve been practicing in my head:

“Listen, I don’t want to cramp on your fun, but I usually work at around this time and the rest of the neighbors are asleep.  I know parties are fun and everything, but this has been going on all week.  Do you mind toning it down a little so I can get some work done and everyone else can sleep peacefully?”

She gave me a blank look and said “Why don’t you just work in the morning?”

“I would, but it’s noisier in the morning because the neighborhood kids are running around, all my pets are awake…Uhm, where are your parents?”

At around this time their little party starts quieting down a bit and the others start looking at me.  Then she agreed to lessen the noise.   As I walked away, I overheard one of her guests making a quip about how I was overreacting.

The following night, it became evident that our little conversation didn’t work.  In the Philippines, calling the police because of neighborhood noise won’t be taken seriously, so that option is out.  This time, I resort to headphones and Puccini.

It works out well – at first.  Then I realized that the music was too powerful for the piece I was writing, so I played some acoustic jazz.  But as the hours wore on, I realized that I was spending too much time rearranging my MP3 files to complement whatever it was I was working on.

Here’s what didn’t work: my first solution was to try and get my neighbor to change.  This left my peace of mind in their hands. The trouble with this approach was that I still had no control over how to fix the problem, and they don’t care about my problem even if they are the ones causing it.  After all, I’m not giving them any inconvenience.

My second attempt was to fight fire with fire.  I was hoping that by playing my own music directly into my ears, I would cancel out the neighbor’s karaoke machine and loud voices. What I actually ended up doing was creating more distractions for myself, giving myself more stimuli to fight.

Today I’m trying something new.  I remembered that on a recent trip, I got a pair of complimentary earplugs from an airline.  I took those out of the drawer and placed them on my ears.  While I can still hear a slight murmur from the neighbor’s karaoke machine, it’s not too distracting.

This solution is the simplest, since all it involves is the earplugs, which I can take out of my drawer anytime I want.  I’m letting the neighbors go on with their lives, while I go on with my work.  I basically found a solution that is within my control, no matter what the outside world does.

In “The Art of Learning”, Josh Waitzkin introduced a chapter with this quote: “To walk a thorny road, we may cover its every inch with leather or we can make sandals.”  I guess that’s what I’m doing by wearing earplugs.  I’m making sandals.

How do you cope with noisy neighbors as a web worker?  Are they understanding of the fact that you work from home?  Do you have any suggestions for other web workers with noisy neighbors?

Image by Peter Suneson from Sxc.hu

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