Time Wasters Stealing Your Focus

Most stalled days aren’t about willpower—they’re about constant context-switching. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Joel Miller break down the science of interruptions, how internal distractions amplify them, and practical ways to protect your best hours. Expect notification triage, deep-work tactics, and a saner way to take breaks that actually refuel you. Key TakeawaysName the Real Culprit. It’s not laziness—it’s interruptions. Expect hits that derail you every 3–11 minutes, costing 20–30 minutes to fully refocus. How will you plan accordingly?The Difference Matters. Interruptions are external; distractions are internal. You can’t stop every ping, but you can stop taking the bait.Cut Notifications Ruthlessly. Turn off non-essential alerts across phone and laptop. Use Focus/Do Not Disturb so only true emergencies break through.Signal Deep Work Windows. Tell people when you’re dark and when you’re back: set Slack/Teams status (e.g., “Deep Work — back at 1:00 pm”) and stick to it.Remove Temptation. Delete or block high-hook apps/sites during work blocks (tools like Freedom help). Make distraction harder than staying on task.Sprint, Then Breathe. Work in focused sprints and replace “digital smoke breaks” with 3–5 minutes outside to reset your brain without derailing momentum.Protect Uphill Work. Tackle your Big 3 (creative/strategic) when you’re freshest; save downhill tasks like email/Slack for lower-energy windows. Watch on YouTube at:  https://youtu.be/TIPbksG9_wI This episode was produced by Sarah Vorhees Wendel of VW Sound