How to Eliminate Distractions While Studying (Even on Your Phone)

Eliminating distractions whilst you study (even on your phone) feels like an impossible question to answer in this day and age. You sit down with the best intentions and open your textbook, and just five minutes later you are deep down a TikTok rabbit hole, scrolling memes, or responding to unbelievable WhatsApp messages. You do want to focus; your phone makes it so hard.

If you’ve felt like you’re wasting time and letting your study hours slip through your fingers, this post is for you. We are going to break down 7 combat tested, evidence-based strategies that actually work. These are not just fluffy tips. They are actionable habits that will help you take back control of your focus even if your phone is buzzing right next to you.

Stick around, by the end of this post you will know how to develop laser-like concentration and ultimately crush your study goals.

How to Eliminate Distractions While Studying (Even on Your Phone) by Closing Social Media Apps

Here’s the first step to achieving laser focus: Shut it down.

All of it.

Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook ,  all of it.

The reason? 

Social media apps are designed to hijack your brain and your brain’s dopamine system. Every ping, every like, every notification feeds into your addiction.

 According to research from the University of Texas, if any part of your phone is in view while you’re studying, you are cognitively impaired even if it’s face down and silenced. 

So here’s what you need to do:

 

• Log out of every social app before you start.

• Delete any apps you can’t control (you can always re-download it later).

• Use a website blocker like Cold Turkey or StayFocusd if you’re studying on your laptop.

• Use an app like Freedom, AppBlock, or FocusMe to lock down social apps during study times.

It’s not about punishing yourself. It’s about creating a digitally and mentally clean, quiet space so your brain can actually think.

How Do You Get Rid of Distractions While Studying (Even When On Your Phone) By Tracking Your Time

If you are always asking, “Where did my time go?” it is time to take a measurement!

Because the truth is, you cannot change what you do not measure! 

You can use things like:

• RescueTime (tracks time spent in apps / websites) 

• Toggl (manual time tracking) 

• Your phone/ iPhone / Android screen time report 

After a day or two, you will start to see a pattern. You might think “Wow, I spent 2 hours on WhatsApp, and only 40 minutes really studying.”

Once you have measured your habits, you can put reminders or get a start to make the reminders or alarms every 25 – 30 minutes to snap out of the distractions and back into focus. These “nudges” will retrain your brain.

Tip: 

Put a sticky note on your laptop / desk that says: “Is this helping me learn?” Yes, it sounds cheesy, but it does help.

How to Eliminate Distractions While Studying (Even on Your Phone) by Studying With a Friend

Yes, that’s correct.

On occasion, the best way to exit distractions is to involve someone else in your study time.

Why? Accountability.

When you’re studying alone, you can scroll endlessly and no one will ever know. You aren’t being rude or inconsiderate. But when you’re studying with someone else either online or in person, it’s easier to feel like time is being wasted. It’s just harder to justify not working when someone else has committed.

Try these methods:

 

• Silent zoom study rooms – 50 minutes work / 10 minutes break

• Pomodoro study sessions with a buddy (25 minutes working bursts, 5-minute breaks)

• Library meet-ups (no phones at the table!)

The trick?

 Pick somebody who is actually going to make progress. Their discipline will help you too.

Use Phone Features Like ‘Do Not Disturb’ and Focus Mode

Your phone isn’t the enemy, it just needs better boundaries!

All devices come with built-in tools that most people don’t pay much attention to, but if you use them wisely these tools can literally save your focus.

Here’s how:

1. Enable Do Not Disturb, a.k.a. DND: 

DND essentially blocks calls, texts and notifications and you can customize it to allow only emergency contacts (e.g., Mom and dad).

2. Set your Focus Mode (iOS or Android): 

You choose the apps you would like available to you during focus time. You can even schedule it to be available to you every day (e.g. 9 AM to 12 PM every weekday).

3. Utilize Grayscale Mode: 

Grayscale makes your screen boring, since now everything will be black/white. It makes colorful apps less visually attractive. 

Bonus advice:

Put your phone across the room (face down) during study sessions; by being more physically distant from your device, you reduce the temptation digitally. If you want more strategies, check out this post on how to stay focused while studying.

Find Healthy Alternatives for Your Most Common Distractions

Let’s be honest: the reason you scroll for hours at a time isn’t because you’re lazy. It’s because your brain is bored, stressed, or anxious.

So rather than artificially trying to “just focus,” you can give your brain a better outlet.

Try these alternatives:

Distraction                            Healthy Alternative

TikTok / Reels   :                            5 minutes of stretching or walking

WhatsApp / Chatting :                    Journal your thoughts

YouTube binge :                   Listen to some non-lyrical music

Candy Crush / Gaming : Doodle or sketch something

You’re not eliminating distraction!, you’re replacing it with something that energizes you without stealing your mind. 

Create a Pre-Study Ritual that Communicates ‘Time to Focus.’

Rituals are important. They create mental cues to your brain that says: “We’re entering focus mode now.”

Here’s an example of a 5-minute ritual:

1. Close all your tabs and silence your phone.

2. Make your tea or water.

3. Light a candle or play study music.

4. Review your study purpose for the session.

5. Take one deep breath and begin.

Over time, your brain starts to associate this ritual with focused attention. It becomes automatic. If you want to go deeper into how to get into a flow state while studying, this guide breaks it down in detail.

Do not skip this step. The greatest performers in the world always prepare for their deep work. So should you.

Establish Crystal Clear Study Goals

Have you ever sat down to study and thought: “I will just study biology today?”

Not an ideal approach.

Vague goals = vague focus.

If instead, you are uber-specific:

✔ “I will study biology, chapter 4, for 30 minutes and answer 5 practice questions.”

✔ “I will review 20 flashcards on Anki, before lunch.”

Take big goals and break them into micro-targets. Just like that, you can cross one off and that’s like a little win. The bigger the goals the more likely you are to forget why you are studying. This will also keep you motivated and focused since you know what you are aiming for. 

Bonus Tip: 

Use Notion or a whiteboard to keep track of your progress.

Study In Your Peak Energy Times

You may be distracting yourself not because of your phone but because your brain is fatigued. 

Not everyone is alert and capable of learning at the same time. Are you a morning person? Night owl? Afternoon warrior? 

Monitor your energy for a few days. Then schedule deep work during your energy peak. 

📈 For most of the people:

Morning (8 AM – 11 AM) = best for memorization and focused work.

Afternoon slump (2 PM – 4 PM) = passive learning like watching videos.

Want to see what extreme focus looks like in action? Watch this video on how to study for 10 hours a day by Anas Nuur Ali—it’s packed with practical techniques that complement what you’ve learned here.

Work with your brain, not against it.

Put the ‘Two-Minute Rule’ to Work for You to Crush Procrastination

Sometimes the hardest part is starting. That’s where the Two-Minute Rule helps you out.

Here’s how it works:

> “If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now.”

Instead of committing to “study chemistry for 3 hours,” you commit to:

“I’ll open my textbook and read the first paragraph.”

“I’ll write the first sentence of my essay.”

You will find that often when you just start you break the resistance and move into flow.

Create a Zero-Distraction Study Environment

This one is easy, but often overlooked.

Your physical space largely influences your mental state. Design your room like it wants you to focus.

Checklist: 

✅ Clear desk (no clutter)  

✅ Good light  

✅ Noise-canceling headphones or soft study music  

✅ No snacks, games, or notifications 

✅ Water bottle nearby 

If you have a messy, loud, or out of control space  , you will mirror that energy. Clean space = clear mind.

Conclusion :

In a world that is fighting for your attention, it can be hard to pay attention and it is always a 

rare and valuable ability to have.

You do not need to be perfect. You do not need to eliminate every distraction forever. 

But if you:

Limit or shut down social media,

Have an intention to use your phone,

Stick to strong routines and study targets ,  you’ll be the type of student that gets more in 

2 hours than other students get done in an entire day. 

So, what is the first thing you will eliminate before your next study session?