Attention is not something you simply have. It is something you negotiate with all day long. That is the idea Emily LoMenzo Washcovick brought to my conversation with her, and it changes how a distracted afternoon looks.
Most of us treat distraction as a discipline problem. We ask why we cannot just focus or put the phone down. Emily points to a different cause. Much of the technology we use is built to keep us on the platform. Social media gives no signal when time has passed. Even AI tools end an answer by offering another task. The pull is designed in.
Opt in, rather than get pulled
Emily describes herself as someone with a neurodivergent brain, diagnosed with ADHD later in life. She learned that constant stimuli were fragmenting her attention. Her response was not to quit technology. She chose when to engage. In a meeting or an interview, she does not glance at email or messages. She says it takes a lot of practice, and that scolding yourself for struggling is often counterproductive.
She also looks at what each app does to her emotions. A short break on Instagram can bring a funny video, then distressing news. That residual feeling follows you into the next task. A 15-minute break can change the energy of the whole afternoon.
Go below the default settings
Emily’s practical advice is to build your own settings. Default notifications serve the platform. She asks herself what suits her. Would she rather get one email summary a day? Does she want to see an unread count before she opens an inbox? She changed her email so the number of new messages is hidden until she chooses to look.
She does not recommend strict bans. The apps have real benefits, and fear can push people into rules they cannot keep. Her approach is to curate rather than cut off.
Structure matters too. Her morning routine is non-negotiable: a smoothie, a walk with her dogs, and no email first. She said she once believed she needed to check everything at all times to stay on top of it. That habit was fragmenting her attention. She also says out loud the deadlines she sets, because she will not miss one that others know about.
Emily adds one more boundary. Digital connection can feel like a false plane to her, so she schedules time with real people.
Here is one thing to try this week. Pick a single app and change one setting so it no longer decides when you look. Turn off live alerts, or move them to a daily summary. Then notice how the next hour feels. Emily’s point is that the setting is yours to choose.
From the episode: Reclaiming Focus in the Attention Economy, with Emily LoMenzo Washcovick. Read the full transcript.