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by chrisvalleybay 3035 days ago
My recipe for constentration is to eliminate sources of distraction. Simple? Not so much. Anything can be a distraction today. This is what I do:

- Delete Snapchat, Instagram, Messenger from phone

- Disable notifications for all messaging apps (including badge count)

- Keep Do Not Disturb (iOS) on a schedule during work hours

- Disable all notifications on MacOS

- Use software that distract less. For me this means removing every single button I don't need. Hide all the things!

- Eliminate clutter on desks. I don't keep anything on my desk that is not related to the current task

Here is my favourite thing at the moment: set /ONE/ to do. To do lists are productivity killers for me, because I'm constantly looking and thinking ahead, instead of focusing the problem I am solving now.

In Visual Studio Code, for instance, I use the plugin `title`. This is very simple, it lets me set the title of the window. In the title of the window I write what I'm doing. For instance: "Clean up user model".

Edit: one more thing. Give your setup some love. If you're working on your computer all day, keep making your environment more friendly and relaxing. This can be software; customizing the colors to your liking, customizing keyboard-shortcuts; or it can be hardware such as a better chair or a stand for your monitors. I recently bought Ergotron HX Desk Dual Monitor Arm for my monitors, and it increases my happiness and thus my productivity.