You're Using The Internet Wrong: Here's How To Finally Eliminate Digital Distractions

Alexandra Samuel has 32,944 unread Gmail messages, not to mention the 98,000 unread e-mails in her archive alone. She also makes a living helping people better manage their digital lives. Samuel says to stop trying to keep up. Many of us operate on the etiquette standards of a pre-digital world à la Emily Post. It's rude not to respond to people's message, the etiquette goes. But these days, responding to everyone is just impossible.

Samuel also says to know that your most important online work happens offline and that you should match your digital life to your real-world priorities. Additionally, Samuel says that you should get your news all in one place. Finally, don't reflexively fill idle time with screen time. There are many on-ramps to digital distraction, but Samuel calls the smartphone "the digital gateway drug."