Bring Back Focus

<p>This episode looks at a truth we all feel but rarely confront. Our attention is broken.</p><p>After reading the first section of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/ai-at-work-getting-more-done-with-less-hype">Perplexity’s AI report</a>,“Eliminate Distractions,” I talk about why constant switching has become the silent killer of meaningful work, how high-stakes professions protect focus like oxygen, and what the world’s top performers teach us about attention.</p><p>This sets the stage for Part 2, where we get into simple and practical ways to take your attention back.</p><p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p><strong>00:00</strong> Introduction and why this topic matters</p><p><strong>00:40</strong> The Perplexity report and the “Reduce Distractions” section</p><p><strong>02:00</strong> How our attention has been hijacked</p><p><strong>03:40</strong> Surgeons, pilots, chefs, athletes and why they protect focus</p><p><strong>05:50</strong> What Jobs, Zuckerberg, Musk and Buffett say about focus</p><p><strong>07:10</strong> Why scattered attention leads to mediocre output</p><p><strong>07:50</strong> Preview of the next episode</p><p>For weekly tools to protect your attention and do your best work, subscribe at:<a target="_blank" href="http://bringbackfocus.substack.com"><strong>bringbackfocus.substack.com</strong></a></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://bringbackfocus.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">bringbackfocus.substack.com</a>

<p><strong>Description</strong></p><p>After clearing the digital clutter, the next question is simple: what system should I use now?</p><p>In this episode of Bring Back Focus, I talk about why most productivity systems don’t stick and how the best system isn’t the most efficient one, but the one that feels natural. I share my own experiments with digital notebooks, a friend’s custom AI setup, and the simple test I use to know if my system is right for me.</p><p>This episode is about building a focus system that feels calm, personal, and sustainable, not perfect.</p><p><strong>Episode Highlights</strong></p><p>00:00 – <strong>Introduction: </strong>How too many tools create noise instead of clarity.</p><p>00:31 – <strong>Why most systems don’t last: </strong>We copy methods that don’t fit how our brain works.</p><p>01:13 – <strong>My failed attempts: </strong>From Notion dashboards to color-coded calendars, nothing felt right.</p><p>01:52 – <strong>The realization: </strong>It wasn’t laziness. It was misalignment.</p><p>02:08 – <strong>Efficiency vs. fluency: </strong>Why the best system feels natural, not optimized.</p><p>02:22 – <strong>My setup today: </strong>Using a Remarkable tablet to slow down and think clearly.</p><p>03:04 – <strong>The Big Three habit: </strong>Writing three key priorities every morning before work.</p><p>03:44 – <strong>A friend’s custom system: </strong>How he used Lovable and ChatGPT to design a to-do app that fits his brain.</p><p>04:44 – <strong>The lesson: </strong>Both analog and AI tools can work if they feel natural.</p><p>05:32 – <strong>How to build your own system: </strong>Analyze your best workdays and find patterns that make you productive.</p><p>07:25 – <strong>The feel test: </strong>If your system makes you anxious, it’s not yours.</p><p>08:04 – <strong>Common mistakes: </strong>Over-designing, over-tracking, and copying influencers.</p><p>09:22 – <strong>Stick with it: </strong>Consistency matters more than the tool itself.</p><p>10:00 – <strong>Closing thoughts: </strong>A good system should calm you down and feel like second nature.</p><p><strong>Actionable Advice</strong></p><p><strong>Start simple:</strong> Begin with pen and paper or a single list.</p><p><strong>Use the feel test:</strong> If it feels heavy, simplify it.</p><p><strong>Personalize, don’t copy:</strong> Borrow the logic, not the layout.</p><p><strong>Reflect weekly:</strong> Notice whether your system feels easier or forced.</p><p><strong>Stay consistent:</strong> Don’t switch tools every few days.</p><p><strong>Favorite Quote: </strong>"A good system should calm you down and work for you, not pressurize you."</p><p>This is a public episode. To join the conversation or read more, visit <a target="_blank" href="https://bringbackfocus.substack.com">bringbackfocus.substack.com</a>.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://bringbackfocus.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">bringbackfocus.substack.com</a>

<p>We live in a time where every week brings a new app that promises to make us more productive. Yet somehow, we end up feeling busier and less in control.</p><p>In this episode of <em>Bring Back Focus</em>, Dipesh shares a personal story of how using too many tools made him less effective and more distracted. He talks about the simple reset that helped him get back to clarity and what he learned from deleting most of his apps.</p><p>This episode is about how real focus begins when you simplify your digital world and stop chasing the next tool.</p><p><strong>Episode Highlights</strong></p><p><strong>00:00 – Introduction</strong>Why we keep adding tools and how it often makes things worse.</p><p><strong>00:45 – The excitement of new apps</strong>That familiar feeling of “this one will fix everything.”</p><p><strong>01:20 – The reality check</strong>How juggling five tools led to less progress and more stress.</p><p><strong>02:25 – The breaking point</strong>A simple task that became chaos because of too many apps.</p><p><strong>03:45 – The reset</strong>Deleting more than half of all tools and starting from scratch.</p><p><strong>04:50 – What changed</strong>Less friction, fewer distractions, and more calm.</p><p><strong>05:35 – The real lesson</strong>Productivity doesn’t come from more tools but from clarity.</p><p><strong>06:25 – A small challenge</strong>List every tool you use and ask what would truly break if you deleted half.</p><p><strong>07:00 – Closing thoughts</strong>Digital minimalism is about being intentional, not extreme.</p><p><strong>Actionable Advice</strong></p><p><strong>Simplify:</strong>Keep only the tools that you use daily and remove the rest.</p><p><strong>Choose One Space to Work:</strong>Pick one app for creating and one for communication.</p><p><strong>Turn Off Notifications:</strong>Decide when to check apps instead of letting them interrupt you.</p><p><strong>Reflect Weekly:</strong>Ask yourself which tools helped and which ones added noise.</p><p><strong>Keep It Human:</strong>Choose tools because they make your work easier, not because they are popular.</p><p><strong>Favorite Quote</strong></p><p>"When you’re unclear, you collect. When you’re clear, you delete."</p><p>This is a public episode. To join the conversation or read more, visit <a target="_blank" href="https://bringbackfocus.substack.com">bringbackfocus.substack.com</a>.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://bringbackfocus.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">bringbackfocus.substack.com</a>

<p>Following up on the science of thinking time, this episode dives into the practical steps you can take to design, protect, and maximize your own "Thinking Blocks." Learn why thinking time is often neglected and how a simple shift in perspective can transform it from a luxury to a powerful leverage point that drives the quality of every decision and idea in your life.</p><p></p><p><strong>Key Takeaways</strong></p><p><strong>Shift your mindset:</strong> Think of thinking as real work, not "free time" or a luxury.</p><p><strong>The 5 steps are:</strong> Schedule it, create the right environment, use a gentle prompt, protect the space, and reflect and revisit your notes.</p><p><strong>Start small:</strong> Block two 30-minute sessions per week to begin.</p><p><strong>Focus on discovery:</strong> The time is for capturing thoughts and boosting quality, not for efficiency or immediate execution.</p><p></p><p><strong>Timestamps & Episode Highlights</strong></p><p><strong>01:47 Why Thinking Time Is Ignored:</strong> The main reason people skip it is because it provides no visible output in the short run, making it hard to defend in a metrics-driven world. The solution is to view it as <strong>real work</strong> that pays off over time.</p><p><strong>03:19 Step 1: Schedule It and Be Rigid:</strong> Block time on your calendar and treat it as non-negotiable. Start with two 30-minute sessions and clearly label it as "Thinking Time" or "Clarity Block."</p><p><strong>04:15 Step 2: Create the Right Environment:</strong> Eliminate all distractions, including notifications and devices. Go to a specific location that signals to your brain it’s time to think, and always take a notebook to capture your thoughts.</p><p><strong>05:43 Step 3: Have a Gentle Prompt Ready:</strong> Use a flexible, open-ended question for your session (e.g., <em>What am I not seeing clearly?</em>) instead of a rigid to-do list. Use one question per session.</p><p><strong>07:38 Step 4: Protect It Like a Sacred Space:</strong> Do not allow emails, pings, meetings, or reschedules to interrupt your block. This space is <strong>sacred</strong> and non-negotiable.</p><p><strong>07:54 Step 5: Reflect and Revisit:</strong> At the end of the week, open your notebook and look for patterns in your notes. This reflection step is crucial for turning captured thoughts into valuable ideas.</p><p></p><p>Follow Bring Back Focus on bringbackfocus.substack.com for more episodes and show notes!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://bringbackfocus.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">bringbackfocus.substack.com</a>

<p>The modern world rewards <em>busyness</em>, but what about deep thought? In this episode of Bring Back Focus, we tackle the paradox of knowledge work: we spend all our time reacting and executing, rarely pausing to think. Learn why deliberately scheduling Thinking Time is the most productive thing you can do to unlock breakthroughs, increase the quality of your output, and elevate your work.</p><p></p><p><strong>Episode Highlights</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>0:19</strong> The irony: We rarely make time to actually think.</p><p><strong>0:50</strong> The host shares a personal breakthrough moment.</p><p><strong>1:45</strong> The science behind Thinking Time: The Default Mode Network.</p><p><strong>2:10</strong> Why your best ideas often come in the shower or during a walk.</p><p><strong>2:55</strong> Insights from top performers like Bill Gates.</p><p><strong>3:45</strong> Practical steps to start your own Thinking Time.</p><p><strong>4:12</strong> The essential rule: Turn off all screens.</p><p><strong>5:05</strong> A reminder that thinking is a productive activity.</p><p></p><p><strong>Actionable Advice</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Start Small:</strong> Begin with two 30-minute blocks per week.</p><p><strong>Unplug:</strong> Turn off your laptop, phone, and all notifications.</p><p><strong>Use a Notebook:</strong> Keep a pen and paper ready to capture free-flowing thoughts.</p><p><strong>No Outcomes:</strong> Do not try to force a solution or chase clarity; just let your mind wander.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://bringbackfocus.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">bringbackfocus.substack.com</a>