Does the thought of being without your phone for a week fill you with joy or dread? I know that for myself and many other artists, it is a constant daily struggle to disentangle from technology- to just slow down, simplify, and focus on artmaking. In recent years, I have welcomed multiple invitations to participate in extreme experiments that force you to “unplug”. I have camped in rustic off-grid properties without cell service in the Rocky Mountains, went plein air painting in a rural Mexican fishing village only accessible by boat, and attended an intensive workshop on a Mediterranean island where they confiscated your phone for the full week.

7″x16″ – Oil
Maybe it will come as no surprise to you when I say that I was a much happier and wildly prolific artist throughout these experiences. Getting into the state of “flow” came naturally. Each time I was reminded that it is essential as artists to eliminate digital distractions and reclaim our attention in order to allow for the mental space and sacred time needed to create deep, meaningful work.
Taking much needed intentional breaks from the easel are one thing- getting distracted involuntarily is another. A recent study from the University of California Irvine shows it takes an average of 23 minutes to regain your focus after a distraction because different parts of your brain are activated each time you switch between tasks. Multiply those 23 minutes with answering a couple texts, replying to some emails, and scrolling social media- and suddenly you are wasting hours of mental energy every day that could be better used at the easel.

12″x 9″ – Oil on panel
Since running off to the hills or isolating ourselves on an island isn’t always practical, we must be vigilant and purposeful about creating a studio space that eliminates distractions. We also need to protect ourselves from the psychological effects of the constant barrage of sound, stimulus, and information in a technological world.
In one of his renowned TED Talks about listening, Julian Treasure states that our increasingly noisy world is gnawing away at our mental health and offers some solutions for softening this sonic assault. He recommends 3 minutes of silence per day and listening to sounds of birds, wind, and water. Birds only come out to sing when all is right in the world, so the theory is that there is some deep-rooted evolutionary instinct that allows us to relax and regain focus when we hear these sounds.

24″x 36″ – Oil on panel
Some other helpful tools to minimize distraction include turning your visually attractive phone to greyscale, putting it in “do not disturb” mode, or leaving it in a different room, out of sight. If you still find yourself compulsively checking your phone, try using the Forest app. On your phone’s home screen, you will see an animation of a growing tree. If you don’t touch your phone during your studio work session, the tree continues to grow. But if you check your phone, the tree withers and dies. It may sound ridiculous, but it’s a surprisingly powerful motivator. Then over time, each tree eventually creates a forest that represents your progress in conquering your digital distractions.

8″x 6″ – Oil on panel
In my studio practice, I have been listening to sound recordings of nature, seeking more silence, and growing my silly little forest. I am picking up the paintbrush more and leaving the phone alone. The effects have been profound. My hope is that all of you can carve out a little peace and quiet in the upcoming weeks.

7″x 5″ – Oil on panel
What other tools and tips do you utilize in order to eliminate digital distractions during your studio time? Share in the comments below.
Rita Salazar Dickerson says
Thank you for a well written reminder and for the encouragement to stop the crazy hold technology can have on us. You create beautiful work, Kristen.
Kirsten Savage says
Thank you for your kind words, Rita! We are truly the architects of our own happiness.
Marcia Walke says
a break through article for me. Thank you.
Kirsten Savage says
I am so glad that this resonated with you, Marcia!
Monica Esposito says
I think about how my phone distracts me all the time…and when I’m actually in the flow at my easel I forget I even have a phone… thank you for speaking to this. The 23 minutes of time to reset my brain blew my mind! I feel a pressure to stay “relevant” in regards to social media but getting sucked into the social media vortex is sometimes just a time suck and so unnecessary.
Kirsten Savage says
The struggle is real and I hear ya, Monica! Your gorgeous paintings and inner self are worthy of your entire concentration.
Marie says
Excellent. This really spoke to me. I’m going to find that app for the girl in the tree, and I’m gonna leave my phone in the bedroom under a pillow sometimes.
Kirsten Savage says
Great idea, Marie! Out of sight, out of mind. So glad that the article was helpful to you.
Cedar Keshet says
Thank you Kirsten!
I am glad I’m not off track when I leave my phone in the house when I am in studio. Or when I turn the phone on silent mode. I do use my phone to check the values on a painting that is troubling me, but I’m not consistently doing that.
I sometimes think I should be paying better attention to everyone else via my cell phone but then ditch that idea and go sketch.
I am lucky to live in a remote rural area and have lots of nature around me.
Thanks for encouraging us to relate to nature. Richard Louv’s landmark book, Last Child in the Woods, has some good information that adults as well as children can benefit from!
Plein Air painting is also a great way to get outside.
Kirsten Savage says
Thank you for sharing your feedback and ideas, Cedar! I am going to add Louv’s book to my reading list. I would also recommend that when you are checking your values, a really good phoneless analog tool is called the “Compose It Grid”. It has a red tinted acrylic window that allows you to view your painting and simplify the values without getting distracted by color. It’s about $12 on the Blick art supply website. Happy painting!
Franklin Mendez says
I think it is essential to be in the “zone” when I am at my easel. To try to achieve that during the daylight hours is virtually impossible. So, my solution to reclaim my silence is to enter my studio (home studio) at 5:00AM and paint listening to Classical Music until 8:30AM.
I can assure you nobody has bothered me (Cell phone) at that hour. I know this is not for everyone, but if it fits your schedule, give it a try. Silence is golden.
Kirsten Savage says
Brilliant, Franklin! I am an early bird, too. There is something deeply satisfying about carving out that solitary time before the sun rises and everyone else starts waking up. Who are your classical favorites?