4000 weeks is the average lifespan.

It's a life full of "endless battle and conflict," as Robert Greene points out in his book The 33 Strategies of War.

For most of my life, it's been a chronic tension with distractions.

But I didn't realize it was a war until I was in my 30s.

I lost years of my life to mindless scrolling, online gaming, and poker.

There is a deep pain in admitting this because I know there's nothing I can do about the past.

"You cannot fight effectively unless you can identify your enemies...
The more clearly you recognize who you do not want to be, then, the clearer your sense of identity and purpose will be...
Your enemy is the polar star that guides you. Given that direction, you can enter battle."​
— Robert Greene

When I realized I was spending 76 days of the year looking at a phone screen, it was time to declare war — a war on distractions.

Now, I know my enemy.

I understand its movements, its deceptive tactics, and its subtle ways of influencing my behavior.

And my wish is to arm you with a sword and shield to combat distractions with me so you can reclaim the only thing you've owned since birth: your 4000 weeks.

Strategy #1: Charging station method

When you're home, leave the phone on the charger.

When you want to use your phone, get up and walk over to use it, but do not bring it back with you.

Leave it on the charger.

This is where it lives. It doesn't leave its station unless absolutely necessary.

This allows me to:

• Focus on my work when I’m home
• Be present with my wife and dog
• Read without distractions
• Write and journal with a clear mind
• Be intentional and not reactive to every text and notification throughout the day

Strategy #2: 1st Hour Rule

For the first hour of the morning, do not touch your phone.

Starting your day off by checking in on the world and scrolling first thing in the morning is the surest way to drain yourself of all the energy you just spent hours trying to recuperate.

When I used to check my phone before getting out of bed, I would feel:

• anxious
• lethargic
• apathetic
• depressed
• irritable

It's the equivalent of a cognitive cigarette before you've even brushed your teeth.

Now I read, journal, or exercise during that first hour, and I've never been more mentally stable.

Strategy #3: Grayscale Mode

This has been an absolute tide-turner in my war against distractions.

Some studies have shown an immediate reduction in screen time by as much as 31% by simply turning your phone to grayscale.

For iPhone users:

• go to Settings
• Accessibility
• Display & Text Size
• Color Filters
• Toggle filters on

Now, witness the most boring $1000 product you’ve ever owned.

Seriously, without all the hyper-saturated colors screaming at you, trying to demand your attention, everything looks dull.

Scrolling feels pointless, games feel dead, and all of your shiny productivity apps look like Excel spreadsheets.

Just seeing the gray screen is enough to remind me I don't want to be wasting time on something so lifeless.

None of this works without alternatives.

People think I'm a bit odd for going to such extremes to avoid wasting time on my phone.

But it works.

Every person who has tried these strategies has immediately seen a substantial decrease in their phone use and desire to distract themselves.

But the most important strategy of them all is to replace that distraction with something that brings you joy.

If all of your "happiness" is coming from being entertained on your phone then you will only feel anxious with less use.

To counteract that, you must explore hobbies that interest you and invest in relationships that energize you.

Real life, tangible things that provide positive emotional feelings that motivate you to seek out more healthy offline behaviors.

Journaling, reading, music, art, dance, exercise, coffee dates, hiking adventures — the options are endless.

Do not let the enemy distract you from winning the ultimate prize: the joy of the moment.

Prompt:

What offline activities do I want to be a bigger part of my life?

What's one thing I can do today to create space for those activities?