Distractions and interruptions are such a part of modern life that we don’t realize how hard it is to concentrate. Many neuroscientists, psychologists, and technology pundits believe that the distractions of our communication technology are actually rewiring the brain’s capacity to concentrate for any amount of time on one topic. For example, in a much-discussed 2008 article in The Atlantic (“Is Google Making Us Stupid?”), Nicholas Carr, one of the leading thinkers on information technology, writes, “[W]hat the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles.

In the age of cell phones and the internet, many of us have become smitten with the distractions of choice—texting, instant messaging, twittering, listening to iPods, checking email, reading RSS feeds, checking the news online. These distractions can be fun, and, when seen as multitasking, even necessary. The problem is that some distractions are more detrimental to our focus and happiness than others. Most distractions fall into one of two categories: those that draw us in multiple directions at once, resulting in confusion and an inability to complete a thought or action, and those that provide mental relaxation, offering small “breaks” that support intense focus and effort. Clearly, we want less of the former and more of the latter.

Appreciate impermanence – I saw a cartoon in a recent New Yorker magazine in which two people were finishing their dinners at a Chinese restaurant and had just opened their fortune cookies. One fortune read, “You are going to die.” If you let this fact sink in – that life is short and we all die – it can act as a powerful motivating force to help maintain focus and priorities.

Clarify next steps – Whatever you want to do; projects, aspirations, or simply your to-do list – next to each item, list what next step or next action needed to complete it. Often we get distracted and out-of-focus by our overwhelming lists of projects. Instead of looking at projects, break these down into doable next actions.

Savor borrowed time – This is an “advanced” version of appreciating impermanence. Imagine, for a moment, that you have died and now have a chance to return to this life. Now what? What would you do differently?