This is not to contradict OP's experience, but I have seen wonderful changes in life by "embracing deliberate attention" .. perhaps this might appeal to some of you.
In recent times, I have started a "digital fast" twice a week ... no looking at any screen (TV/laptop/phone/iPad) for the entire day, except keeping a lookout for urgent notifications. Very few notifications merit opening and looking at the message, and still fewer merit an immediate response.
On these days, I have reverted to paper and pen to draw and write software designs, fighting the urge to look up any reference material. I have read fat novels without much of a break, spent quality time at the gym, practiced music and slept early.
There is no boredom, there is no anxiety due to news of politics & war/climate change/AI. I don't find myself flitting from site to site and infinite-scrolling app to another such. The afterglow carries over to the next day.
I specifically chose weekdays, because I want to get work done without distraction. I am my own worst enemy ... I find myself checking one random site after another, then opening the same sites in other windows! I needed a break from this behavior.
For work, as I said, I just use pen and paper. There are lots of tasks that don't have to be immediately keyed in. One can design, write pseudocode, think about ambitious tests, write documentation and so on. I can actually feel myself making progress when I don't have a screen in front of me.
How do you deal with email/video calls/messages? Are you in a position where you can just switch those off for the day? Or do you check in at certain intervals?
I check email headers/whatsapp notifications every couple of hours and open them if they look urgent. If it merits a response, I give the person a call, instead of typing out a reply and let them know why I am calling. So now I have a bunch of colleagues who know that I am available to talk to, but also know that email responses could be delayed.
Video calls can't always be avoided, but so far I have not been affected. Or rather, I chose days on which there are no regularly scheduled video calls.
In recent times, I have started a "digital fast" twice a week ... no looking at any screen (TV/laptop/phone/iPad) for the entire day, except keeping a lookout for urgent notifications. Very few notifications merit opening and looking at the message, and still fewer merit an immediate response.
On these days, I have reverted to paper and pen to draw and write software designs, fighting the urge to look up any reference material. I have read fat novels without much of a break, spent quality time at the gym, practiced music and slept early.
There is no boredom, there is no anxiety due to news of politics & war/climate change/AI. I don't find myself flitting from site to site and infinite-scrolling app to another such. The afterglow carries over to the next day.