How I Quickly Remove Distractions & Study for Hours at IIT Madras?

Summary

The video script discusses the impact of smartphone addiction and distractions on academic performance, offering scientific solutions to enhance focus and productivity. It shares personal experiences, the importance of creating habits, and the role of dopamine in overstimulation. The speaker recommends lifestyle changes, meditation, adequate sleep, and discipline in diet and social media use to improve concentration. Additionally, five apps are suggested to manage smartphone usage and maintain a healthy study-life balance, emphasizing the need for action to achieve laser-like focus.

Takeaways

• 📱 The average time spent on a phone daily is 13 hours, which can be a significant distraction.
• 🔄 A habit is formed after doing something for 21 days, which can lead to overuse of phones and social media.
• 🧠 Distraction is often due to overstimulation from social media and other digital platforms, not a lack of focus.
• 🏆 The speaker managed to break the cycle of distraction and produced high volumes of work by changing habits and mindset.
• 🧘‍♂️ Meditation and mindfulness exercises can reduce mind wandering and improve focus, as supported by scientific research.
• 💤 Adequate sleep is crucial for maintaining focus and productivity, with studies showing its positive impact on task completion.
• 📱 The use of smartphones can be addictive, and taking a break from them can be challenging but beneficial for focus.
• 🚫 Limiting social media use and setting boundaries with technology can help in managing distractions.
• 🎼 Listening to specific types of music can improve focus and productivity, as suggested by scientific studies.
• 📚 Using apps designed to limit distractions, such as minimalist and focus-oriented apps, can aid in maintaining concentration.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Regular exercise is important for overall well-being and can also improve cognitive function and focus.

Q & A

What is the average time the speaker spends on their phone daily?

The speaker spends 13 hours a day on their phone.

Why did the speaker's health deteriorate during their hospital stay?

The speaker's health deteriorated due to spending excessive time on their phone, using social media, and watching the IPL, rather than focusing on recovery.

What scientific concept does the speaker refer to when discussing the formation of habits?

The speaker refers to the concept that doing something for 21 days can make it a habit.

How did the speaker break their cycle of low productivity in June?

The speaker broke their cycle by researching scientifically and implementing changes in their lifestyle and study habits.

What role do distractions play in academic performance according to the script?

Distractions are a major factor for poor academic performance.

What is the significance of the chemical dopamine in the context of the script?

Dopamine is a chemical that is produced in the brain when we engage in stimulating activities, which can lead to over-stimulation and distraction from less stimulating tasks like studying.

What changes did the speaker make to their lifestyle to improve focus?

The speaker made changes such as meditating, ensuring good sleep, and avoiding over-stimulation from social media and other distractions.

What is the significance of the 'marshmallow experiment' mentioned in the script?

The marshmallow experiment demonstrates the ability to delay gratification, which is linked to better life outcomes and focus.

What is the role of exercise in improving focus and reducing distractions?

Exercise is important for overall health and well-being, and it can help improve focus and reduce the impact of distractions.

What are some of the apps recommended in the script to help control smartphone addiction?

The script recommends apps like Minimalist, OnSec, Endel, Beeper, and Leechblock to help control smartphone addiction and improve focus.

What strategies does the speaker suggest to overcome internal distractions while studying?

The speaker suggests strategies such as planning, setting deadlines, time boxing, and creating a Worry List to overcome internal distractions.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Smartphone Addiction and Study Focus

The speaker discusses their personal struggle with smartphone addiction, revealing that they spent an average of 13 hours a day on their phone. They recount their inability to study for more than 2 hours a day during May and June, but managed to break this cycle by the second week of June. The speaker emphasizes the importance of scientific solutions to overcome distractions and improve academic performance. They share their journey of enhancing focus and productivity, mentioning the creation of four videos in 20 days, a significant achievement for their channel. The speaker also introduces the video's aim to provide scientifically-backed tips to beat distractions, especially in the context of smartphone and laptop use for study preparation.

05:01

🧠 The Science of Habit Formation and Mindfulness

This paragraph delves into the science of habit formation, citing the concept that doing something for 21 days can make it a habit. The speaker shares their experience of losing control over their life due to smartphone addiction and the negative impact on their health. They discuss the role of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in mind-wandering and how meditation can reduce its activity, thus improving focus. The speaker also mentions a study from Michigan State University that highlights the importance of sleep for maintaining focus amidst distractions. The paragraph concludes with a personal anecdote about a fellow student's distraction due to a romantic relationship, underscoring the advice against engaging in relationships during exam preparation.

10:02

🚀 Overcoming Smartphone Dependency with Apps and Discipline

The speaker introduces five apps designed to help control smartphone addiction and maintain focus during study sessions. They discuss the minimalist app, which is a distraction-free launcher, and the concept of adding friction to bad habits to reduce mindless phone usage. The speaker also talks about the benefits of certain types of music for focus, as provided by the 'endel' app. They mention 'beeper', an app that consolidates social media messaging without the distraction of feeds, and 'LeechBlock NG', a browser extension for blocking distracting websites. The speaker concludes with general advice on managing distractions, emphasizing the importance of planning, setting deadlines, and using techniques like time boxing and creating a worry list to stay focused on studies.

Keywords

💡Distraction

Distraction refers to the act of being drawn away from a task or activity due to external stimuli or internal thoughts. In the video, distraction is identified as a major factor for poor academic performance, with the speaker sharing personal experiences and scientific solutions to overcome it. The script discusses how overstimulation from social media and other digital platforms can lead to a lack of focus during study sessions.

💡Habit Formation

Habit formation is the process of developing regular behaviors through repetition over time. The video mentions the concept that doing something for 21 days can make it a habit, which is relevant to the speaker's struggle with smartphone addiction and the subsequent steps taken to form better habits for focused studying.

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment. The script references a neuroscientist's findings that regular meditation, a form of mindfulness, can reduce activity in the posterior singulate cortex, which is associated with mind-wandering, thereby improving focus.

💡Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with the brain's reward system, responsible for feelings of pleasure. The video explains how dopamine is released during stimulating activities like using social media or watching favorite shows, which can lead to overstimulation and distract from less stimulating tasks like studying.

💡Stimulation

Stimulation refers to the act of exciting or provoking a response. In the context of the video, overstimulation is contrasted with the need for a less stimulating environment to improve focus and study effectively, as constant exposure to stimulating digital content can make studying seem less appealing.

💡Sleep

Sleep is essential for cognitive functions, including focus and memory. The script highlights the importance of getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day to enhance the ability to refocus after distractions, drawing on research findings that link sleep quality with task performance.

💡Social Media Addiction

Social media addiction is an unhealthy dependence on social media platforms. The video discusses the designed addictiveness of social media and its impact on study habits, with the speaker sharing a personal anecdote about a friend's distraction during exam preparation and suggesting quitting social media as a solution.

💡Exercise

Exercise is any physical activity that helps maintain or improve health and fitness. The script recommends regular exercise as one of the top treatments for ADHD and suggests that at least 15 to 30 minutes of daily exercise can improve focus and reduce distractions.

💡Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions. The video addresses procrastination as an internal distraction, offering strategies like breaking tasks into smaller goals and setting deadlines to overcome it, referencing the work of Piers Steel, a pioneer in procrastination research.

💡Time Management

Time management refers to the organization and planning of time to improve efficiency and productivity. The script suggests time boxing, a technique where time is allocated for specific tasks, as a method to manage distractions and stay focused on study goals.

💡Worry List

A worry list is a tool for managing internal distractions by writing down concerns or worries that might distract from the task at hand. The video recommends creating a worry list to deal with anxieties during study sessions, allowing for a clear separation between worrying and focusing on tasks.

Highlights

The average time spent on the phone is 13 hours a day.

Inability to study for more than 2 hours a day for two months due to distractions.

Breaking the cycle of distraction and studying for hours within 7 days.

Scientific solutions to focus on studies for 10 to 12 hours a day.

Distractions are a major factor for poor academic performance.

Five apps recommended to prevent wasting time on the internet during study.

The concept of forming a habit by doing something for 21 days.

Health issues and the negative impact of using a phone for research.

The realization that distraction is due to overstimulation, not lack of focus.

Training the brain to be okay with less stimulation for better focus.

Announcement of a discount offer for GATE coaching by gateballa.

The role of the posterior singulate cortex in mind-wandering and its reduction through meditation.

A 17-minute practice to rewire the brain for better focus.

The importance of sleep for maintaining focus and productivity.

Avoiding relationships during competitive exam preparation for better focus.

The negative impact of social media designed for overstimulation.

Quitting social media to reduce distractions and improve focus.

The marshmallow experiment and its implications on delaying gratification for better life outcomes.

Discipline in food to improve focus and overall well-being.

Exercise as a top treatment for improving focus and reducing distractions.

The experience of smartphone addiction and its severe impact on daily life.

Five apps to maintain a healthy relationship with the smartphone without negative impacts.

The minimalist app to reduce distractions by simplifying the smartphone interface.

The concept of adding friction to bad habits to prevent mindless phone usage.

Endel app for focus-enhancing music to improve concentration.

Beeper app to streamline social media interactions and reduce distractions.

Leechblock NG for blocking distracting websites on browsers.

Strategies to overcome internal distractions such as planning, setting deadlines, and time boxing.

Creating a Worry List to manage concerns during study time.

The importance of taking action and maintaining laser-like focus for success.

Transcripts

13 hours a day this is the average time

I use my phone every day for 30 days in

May and in June I was not able to sit

and stady for Just 2 hours a day and the

second week of June I broke that cycle

scientifically so it's been F day I've

been researching here at it madas I

finished all of my work at I8 made four

videos in 20 days which is one of the

highest in the Channel's history and

eventually we got this guy so how am I

able to quickly remove all of my

distractions and start studying for

hours in just 7 days so in this video

whether you think you are lazy or

average we'll find scientific solutions

that quickly make yourself focused on

studies for 10 to losss day secondly

countless research points distractions

are a major factor for poor academic

performance so we'll discuss simple and

practical scientific tips to beat all

distractions and in today's world we are

have to depend on smartphones and

laptops for exam preparation so I will

share five apps that will make it

impossible to waste time on internet

during your

study and my web browser presents me

with the the news of the day and before

I know it I've been lost you know 15 20

minutes has gone by from the moment that

I woke up my life was a series of Scream

It's Time to buckle down open your

computer and check your phone first of

all why do we get distracted there is a

concept in science if you do something

for 21 days then it becomes a

habit

SE and because of that I lost control of

my life so in the month of May I've been

hospitalized for 30 days my health is

actually not getting better in fact it's

getting worse and worse every single day

so one day I took my phone I searched

what might be the reason my health is

not improving and if you're hospitalized

I have one tip for you never ever tried

to find the reasons through your phone

it will show the possibility of many

diseases even it shows a possibility of

cancer very negative and I started using

social media because I felt better plus

I was watching IPL every single day

without fail and after 30 days my

physical health is fine and I came to I

and when I decide to sit and walk like

before I can't I forced myself to study

for some time using for Stu but Beyond 2

hours I started scrolling phone watching

movie T20 World Cup and then I decided

to change if you don't know about me I'm

someone who approaches everything

scientifically as I was unmotivated to

read books I searched YouTube De plus

how to stay focused and this video

popped up that's when I realized

distraction is not due to lack of focus

distraction is due to power stimulation

what does it mean observe our life we

have Instagram WhatsApp Cricket movies

we are surrounded with things that gives

us stimulation there is a chemical

called dopam that will produce in our

brain when we eat our favorite food or

having sex the same chemical will

produce when we watch res when we get

likes from our Instagram story watching

our favorite shows but study sessions

are not as stimulating like that so I'm

distracted not due to lack of focus it's

caus due to over stimulation so ideally

I decided to train my brain to be okay

with less stimulated life and for the

next s days I did two things firstly I

changed my lifestyle two I did

activities that moves my brain's ability

to focus so what are all the changes I

have made in the summer days before

telling you that now a quick

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for your gate exam preparation now let's

get back to lifestyle changes that is

needed there is a part in our brain

called PCC posterior singulate cortex

which is responsible for mind Ving Sara

Lazer a neuroscientist at Harvard

Medical SCH she found that those who

meditate on regular basis have lower

brain activity in their PCC so first

meditate and recently American

neuroscientist Andrew hberman mentioned

a hack that can boost your Focus

permanently in just 17 minutes a simple

practice of taking 17 minutes sitting

and paying attention to your internal

State just

intercepting registering your breathing

registering the contact of your skin

with whatever surface you're on can

forever rewire your brain to be able to

attend better now there was a study that

was conducted in Michigan State

University in that study 234 students

were invited to lab in the evening

between the time 10:00 p.m. to midnight

they were given a task to complete and

the tasks one have to follow certain

steps and the procedure is also given

while they were doing the task the

researchers interrupted the students

periodically but all of them completed

the task and now here is the T now one

half of the students sent back to home

for sleep and other half in lab staying

awake the next morning the same task was

given with same periodic distraction but

this time the people who had good sleep

Whenever there was a distraction was

present they quickly refocused back to

the task and have completed it but guess

what the sleep deprived students not

everyone can't able to refocus and

complete it so secondly sleep sleep for

at least 7 to 9 hours a day only now I

hate this one person in my life I

remember one guy during my gate exam

preparation he's very smallart he grabs

concept quicker so whenever I had a

doubt I asked him and he clarifi me that

he's very humble and he comes to study

hall every day and study for hours and

eventually he found one

girlfriend and after that they both used

used to come and study every day but

after some time I don't know why what

happened they fought and they separated

and this guy in the month of January

where everyone was preparing interance

instead of focusing on his gate

preparation he went to her hometown to

convince her and she said no and after

that certain days when I met him he told

that Ragu I think gate is not my cup of

tea from many friends I observed it

appears at least don't get into

relationship during your competitive

exam preparation now listen to this

person he's a millionaire American

vendor capitalist founder CEO we kind of

knew something bad could happen we have

created tools that are ripping apart the

social fabric of how Society works the

short-term dopamine driven feedback

loops that we have created are

destroying how Society Works he is also

one of the former executive officer at

Facebook listen social media is

developed by best brains in the world so

that you can use it more amount of hours

they are designed to give you M his

every time so actually you can't win

them so just quit social media there's

one Professor I read in kort's blog he

used to never check his phone till 4:00

p.m. except calls and I adapted the same

during the process I started with not

using mobile phone except call till

12:00 p.m. then I gradually increased to

5:00 p.m. then I made it under control

now don't worry I know this problem

needs more action to solve it so in the

later part of the video I have shared

five apps that will control your

smartphone additions thereby helping you

to stay control now have you ever heard

of the marshmallow experiment in 1970

psychologist Walter michell from

Stanford University who did this where

childrens were offered a choice between

eating one marshmallow immediately or

two marshmallow if they waited for a

period of time there's a marshmallow you

can either wait and I'll bring you back

another one so you can have two or you

can eat it now so you can eat it now or

you can wait and I'll bring you back two

okay so whenever each children comes

they give the marshmallow the

researchers left the child alone in the

room with a single marshmallow for about

15 minutes you going to eat it just

want or you're still not going to get

to but if you wait until she gets back

she'll give you a

two she still won't give you two cuz you

ate it so of it I didn't eat a single

bite now most of them ate the

marshmallow that was given to them

immediately very few patiently waited

for 15 minutes and got one more

marshmallow and ate two marshmallows now

researchers observe these students

performance over the years they found

that childrens who could delay

gratification and wait for the second

marshmallow tended to have better life

outcomes higher at course lower BMI

better social skills higher incomes and

fitter so research was clear those who

delay gratification over immediate

gratification can do better in life so

how can we practice that one of the the

simplest way is by having discipline in

foods and I believe it's the best option

because research also proves a proper

diet increases your brain's ability to

focus so avoid junk Foods sugars stop

overeating stop eating packaged food but

strategically plan to have whatever you

want once in a week like six days of

discipline and Seventh Day eat what you

like and finally we humans are not

actually programmed for eat sleep repeat

our ancestors move constantly for their

survival and trust me exercise is among

one of the top treatments for curing

adsd in adults and kids so exercise for

at least 15 to 30 minutes a day did you

ever wonder how bad smartphone addiction

can lead you let me tell you a real life

incident now how many of you here done

engineering and how many of you hate

mechanical Department I know about your

college in my B College there was an

incident which made everyone to hate us

so usually we mechanical students we

think that we are the Supreme Department

one day one of the student in mechanical

in my year he did something bad I don't

want to say what is that Mech boys are

bad then mechanical staff they died

right so what happened was entire staff

of mechanical Department from H to

assistant professors came to our class

closed the door surrounded us literally

like the movies they snatched all of our

mobile phones literally told everyone

whether your dad is Rich or powerful I

don't care you guys committed a mistake

so we are not giving you a phone and for

the next few days we were feeling like

hell cuz we don't know what to do

without our phone we go to class we use

phone if you go to hostel we use phone

if you go to restroom also we use phone

so after 7 days they gave us the phone

but that 7 days was actually hell that

is what happens to a smartphone addict

if he doesn't have his phone this is

similar to how cocaine addicts can live

without cocaine now in today's world we

need smartphone for everyday use now

most of the coachings are shifting to

online tests are online so how to have a

healthy relationship with smartphone

without a negative impact that's why we

are going to check out five apps that

will help you to stay focused now my

most favorite app is minimalist it is

actually a launcher and it's actually

most boring launcher it has no wallpaper

no icon for app because researcher found

that when we open smartphone we

mindlessly click some apps based on

their icon and whenever you open any

social media it will give a reminder on

how long you can use it to prevent

yourself from spending more time on the

platform following upon that we often

open social media without any intention

whenever we had a slight hint of Bor we

check phones so to prevent that there is

a concept which I learned in atomic

habits book which is ADD friction to bad

habits for example in Amazon you can buy

a product in two clicks but to return

that product you have to first replace

it and after that you have to race a

request to return it this actually

reduces the return percentage in Amazon

so scientifically friction reduces bad

behavior to prevent mindless opening

there is an app called on SEC what it

will do is you just set in settings the

app which you are mindlessly opening the

M whenever you open it it will tell you

to take a deep breath you can set how

long this friction to be but by the end

of the breath it will ask you whether

you want to open it or not now some of

my friends here at I madas I observed

they use stady music music to focus

better and it was scientifically proven

there are certain music actually helps

you to come and focus better this is

where end comes in one of the best app I

come across they have tracks for Focus

relax sleep and much more do check it

out it's free now how many of you here

open WhatsApp or Instagram with the

intention to message someone then waste

more time mindlessly checking statuses

and Instagram feed there is an app

called beeper where you can connect all

of your social media like Instagram

Facebook WhatsApp in one place but the

best SP is here you can only send the

message and receive the message you

can't check their statuses Instagram

feed now you may be asking me ru you are

talking only about phone what if you are

someone who uses laptop for most of your

work answer is leech blog NG NG stands

for Next Generation works on most major

browsers and it's free and it gives a

bunch of options for blocking

distraction you can make list to sites

to blog then restrict them in all kind

of ways now Ru you are talking only

about smartphone distraction we have

other distractions bro yes don't worry

in the next two minutes I'll share you

five big hacks that will be all of your

distractions see there are two types of

distractions one is internal distraction

and other is external distraction

external distraction is like phone

relationships friends family I believe

the best solution to all external

distraction is Steven co author of Seven

Habits of Highly Effective People puts

it put first things first what that

means is put your exam preparation first

and eliminate all the other things that

slows you down now what about internal

distractions example thinking about

something while studying thinking that

this task takes so much time to finish

so you started procastinating firstly

plan plan your day before you go for

Sleep write down what are the three

things you want to complete by the end

of the second break your task into manyi

task example let's say you plan to

revise a big subject you know it will

take a long time break that Big Goal

into manyi goals PS steel one of the

Pioneers in procrastination research

mentions in his book that one of the

main reason for procrastination is

difficulty thirdly set deadlines Buddha

one says problem is you think you have

time if you don't set deadlines you will

think you have more time so you scroll

your phone four try time boxing you know

what Bill Gates plans every 5 minutes of

his day for us we plan at least every

hour of our day if you check out my

telegram I have attached a free notion

template on this go download it it will

be super used finally one of the common

internal distraction is worries what

happens if I fail the test why she is

not texting me will someone roast in my

Instagram post problem is these worries

will come when we are studying and we

don't want that ATT is very important to

overcome that create a Worry List just

near your Tod list create a Worry List

and not down all the worry now while

studying whenever you are having this

worry just say to yourself yeah I'm

going to take care of this worry at

later point of time now it's time to

study now again it's worth remembering

this quote from Bruce Lee a successful

person is an average person with laser

like Focus so the bigger question is

will you take action and Laser focused

on your preparation but I see the light

from far away it's down the line maybe I

should not give up without a fire