# Your Phone Is Draining Your Focus (Even When You're Not Using It) Smartphones reduce productivity by causing constant distraction. - **Source:** [Marie Forleo](https://brifing.si/source/ffee316c-0b5b-4b14-8b95-fd75373690b8) - **Published:** 2026-07-10 - **Topic:** [Career Growth](https://brifing.si/c/growth) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/b501d944-933d-4652-a203-01f05ba43382 ## The Hidden Source of Distraction Studies show that just the presence of a phone can reduce cognitive performance by up to 20%. The brain remains constantly alert for potential notifications from the device. ## Impact on Working Memory Having a phone nearby significantly reduces the brain's working memory capacity. This leads to performance drops in complex tasks and increased error rates. ## The Multitasking Myth Those who think they're multitasking with their phone actually work 40% slower. The brain loses energy during rapid task switching and loses depth of focus. ## The Power of Physical Distance Experiments show putting your phone in another room doubles focus duration. Keeping it out of sight allows more efficient use of mental resources. ## Effect on Brain Waves Phone notifications disrupt alpha brain waves, preventing deep concentration. This effect continues even when the device is silent but nearby. ## Digital Detox Strategies Putting phones on airplane mode during work sessions, creating focus blocks, and establishing physical barriers are proven methods to permanently increase productivity. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E8Ug5kwDHIg — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._