Stop Blaming Your Phone: This Simple Grid Method Reveals What's Really Stealing Your Focus

The meeting ran long. My phone buzzed. I checked it under the table.

Was this distraction caused by the notification (external) or my boredom (internal)? Was I planning to check messages at this time (traction) or was this an unplanned detour (distraction)?

These questions form the backbone of the Indistractable Grid—a deceptively simple tool that changed how I understand my attention. Before using this method, I blamed technology for my scattered focus. After tracking my activities across the four-square matrix for just one day, I saw the truth: my phone wasn’t the problem. My relationship with discomfort was.

While we battle notifications and feeds, our biggest distractions come from within.

Map your focus thieves and win back your attention

Want to know what steals your attention? The Indistractable Grid gives you a clear map. This simple tool from Nir Eyal’s book Indistractable helps you spot exactly when and why you get pulled off track.

What makes this method work

The power of this method lies in its simplicity. You track your activities across four categories to see patterns in your behavior.

How to build your grid

1. Draw your grid

Draw a basic four-square grid on paper. Label the columns “Traction” and “Distraction.” Label the rows “Internal Triggers” and “External Triggers.”

The Indistractable Grid Matrix with Distraction Traction Externa, triggers and Internal triggers

You can instead create an outline or a mind map if that’s more your thing.

2. Track everything for one day

Record your activities in the right squares based on:

Was the activity planned (traction) or unplanned (distraction)?
Did it start from an emotion (internal) or something in your environment (external)?

For example:

“Checked Twitter when I felt bored” → Distraction/Internal Triggers
“Responded to planned Slack messages during designated time” → Traction/External Triggers

3. Find your patterns

After a day, look at which squares hold most of your activities. This reveals your main focus challenges:

Internal Triggers + Distraction: Your emotions pull you off track
External Triggers + Distraction: Your environment pulls you off track
Low Traction Activities: You need clearer goals and intentions

Examples From Each Square

Traction/Internal Triggers

Took a scheduled break because you noticed stress building
Worked on a difficult project when motivated by curiosity
Exercised at planned time to manage anxiety

Traction/External Triggers

Attended a scheduled meeting
Checked email during your designated email time
Responded to team chat during communication hours

Distraction/Internal Triggers

Checked social media because you felt bored
Went down a YouTube rabbit hole to avoid difficult work
Snacked when not hungry to ease stress

Distraction/External Triggers

Interrupted deep work to answer non-urgent calls
Checked email because of notification sounds
Stopped reading to respond to unimportant messages

What your results tell you

If most activities fall under “Distraction/Internal Triggers”

You need better strategies to handle emotions like boredom, anxiety, or fatigue. Try:

Notice the feeling without acting on it.
Set a 10-minute timer before giving in to the urge.
Rename tasks to focus on aspects you enjoy.

If most activities fall under “Distraction/External Triggers”

Your environment needs restructuring. Try:

Turn off non-essential notifications
Use “Do Not Disturb” mode during focus time
Remove tempting apps from your home screen
Tell colleagues when you’re not available

If you have few “Traction” activities

You need clearer plans for your time. Try:

Schedule specific times for important tasks
Plan your day the night before
Include intentional breaks and leisure time in your schedule

How to fix your schedule based your results

For internal trigger problems

Start each day with 5 minutes to set intentions
Schedule tasks during your peak energy times
Build in planned breaks before you hit burnout

For external trigger problems

Block 2-hour “focus sessions” with all notifications off
Create specific time slots to check messages
Put your phone in another room during deep work

For unclear traction

Use timeboxing to assign specific slots for tasks
Set clear start and end times for work and leisure
Create “appointment” blocks for personal goals

Turn this into a monthly habit

Do this exercise once a month to spot changes in your patterns. Set a calendar reminder to:

Draw your grid
Track a full day of your activities
Review results the next morning
Adjust your habits based on findings

This 20-minute practice will show you exactly where your time goes and why. Each week, you’ll gain more control over your attention.

Beyond the grid

The grid is just the start. Once you know your patterns:

Create pre-commitments
Tell someone what you plan to accomplish and by when.
Diseña tu entorno
Make distractions harder to access and good habits easier.
Externalize your intentions
Use visual reminders of what matters most to you.

The path to becoming indistractable starts with awareness. This grid method gives you that critical first step.

Conclusión

The more dots you place on the grid, the clearer the map becomes. Your distractions are not random. They are a system you’ve built to avoid discomfort.

This simple tool can change your relationship with focus more than any fancy app or productivity system. Once you see your patterns clearly, they start to lose their power.

Your attention belongs to you. Take it back.

The Indistractable Grid Method

Map your focus thieves and win back your attention

What makes this method work