Vinyl Productivity
Solving digital problems with analog experiences.
We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.
John Culkin
I recently bought a record player.
It’s in my office, and I listen to records while I work. Unlike Spotify, which serves an uninterrupted stream of music, the record player scratches and the music stops every few songs.
Every time this happens, I walk away from my computer to flip the record. When I return to my desk, I realize I’m working on something unrelated to the project I started a few minutes prior, and switch my attention back to the original project
After repeating this pattern countless times, it’s become clear that the “inconvenience” of the analog experience is actually helping me overcome distraction and refocus my attention on what is most important.
The record player interrupts my flow, but it’s a flow of distraction. Without something to physically pull me away from my computer, I get lost in the frictionless distraction of the digital world.
Don’t fight a futile battle
When we step into the digital world, we’re immediately exposed to trillion-dollar companies and millions of people who have very different objectives than our own.
They are fighting to pull our attention to their content, their advertising, and ultimately use us to improve their bottom line.
There is no amount of discipline or willpower that can compete with the directed forces of millions of people and billions of dollars.
Trying to fight against the digital world with willpower or discipline is like showing up with a knife to a gunfight. Our brains can’t comprehend how powerful these forces are, so we’re wasting energy fighting against them.
An environment that’s one keystroke away from switching tasks and one click away from an army of people who want us to focus on their priorities instead of our own is not convenient; it’s counterproductive.
Instead of trying to overcome digital distractions, we should embrace analog experiences.
Friction creates focus
We can spend our energy trying to create friction in digital environments (screen time limits, grayscale filters, turning off wifi, etc.), but analog experiences already have the friction required for focus built in.
Journals and pens don’t buzz when a news article is published. Typewriters are for writing prose, not emails. Going on a phone-free walk forces us to think for ourselves instead of consuming ideas from others.
When we don’t have an endless supply of apps to check or content to consume, we’re forced to be present and direct our attention to the task at hand. We learn to sit with the discomfort of boredom and redirect our attention back to our work instead of seeking comfort by redirecting our attention to something else.
The more friction required to switch tasks or redirect our attention, the easier it is to stay focused and think deeply.
Going analog is the easiest way to create the friction needed to produce our best work and remove distractions.
If it’s important, make it analog.
Prompts
What is the most important work you do? How can you make it analog?
What digital distractions are you fighting against? How can you remove them instead?
Where can you introduce friction in your life to create more focus?
Deep Dive
An explanation of why we can’t focus and a guide to think deeply again.
A modern-day typewriter for distraction-free analog writing.
Thanks for reading! I’ll see you next Sunday.
Kevin