Advice from the former Google boss for employees to stay focused and calm while working

Tips to focus and calm at work

Former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, has very useful advice for people who want to stay focused and calm while working. He shared this recommendation especially for young people, who are often disturbed by various forms of distraction in the digital era.

According to Schmidt, the best way to maintain focus is to turn off the phone. This suggestion was presented in a “Moonshots” podcast with Zero Gravity Corporation CEO Peter Diamandis. In the session, Schmidt discussed the challenges faced by users, especially the younger generation, in the face of a digital environment full of stimulation.

Schmidt said that in the digital era, many features such as advertising, notifications, and social media can steal the attention of users. This makes a person’s focus very difficult. He even imagined how difficult it would be to think deeply if the phone kept ringing or displaying notifications.

“I work with a lot of young people in their 20s in the study, and I’m curious how they research in the midst of all this stimulation?” asked Schmidt. He then answered himself by saying, “I can answer it, they turn off the phone.” According to him, turning off the phone will help someone think more deeply.

In addition, Schmidt also acknowledged that the technology has monetized the attention of users. This is contrary to the way humans work naturally. “We try to monetize all your standby time. Advertising, entertainment, subscriptions, all compete for your attention, and that’s very much against the way humans were created to think,” explained Schmidt.

Benefits of turning off the phone

In addition to helping to increase focus, turning off the phone is also considered to make users more relaxed. Schmidt suggests that this practice is more effective than using an application that is actually intended for relaxation. “Applications that should help you relax, just turn off the cellphone. That’s the way humans relax for 70,000 years,” he said.

However, Schmidt also provides an alternative so that technology and focus can work together. One of them is to break away from annoying things. He gave an example that he used AI Gemini’s assistant for six hours non-stop during the flight. This condition helps him avoid digital distractions such as advertisements or social media.

research on digital focus and distraction

Schmidt’s statement is related to research from the renowned United States psychologist, Gloria Mark. He conducted a study of the attention span or focus of people. According to the study, the average focus range of people on computer screens in 2021 is only 47 seconds. In fact, two decades earlier, his attention span reached 2.5 minutes.

The impact of this decline in focus is fragmented thinking, poor memory, and increased stress. Jim Kwik, Brain Trainer and Book Author Limitless, mentions that the problem of digital distraction is not only related to short memory, but also the focus is divided. “Every ring, ping, and notification leaves us distracted,” said Jim Kwik.

Conclusion

Therefore, the advice of the former Google boss is worth a try if you want to stay focused and avoid digital distraction. By turning off the phone, you can improve the quality of focus and mental comfort. In addition, technology can also be used wisely as a tool, not the main bully.