Why Blocking Apps Isn’t Enough: The Hidden Beliefs That Keep You Distracted

You’ve installed Freedom. Blocked Instagram, Twitter, email. Scheduled your focus sessions. Done everything right.

But fifteen minutes into your “focused” work session, you’re restless. You’re checking your phone even though there’s nothing to check. Opening blocked sites just to see the green screen. Refreshing your inbox on your watch. Looking for something.

Here’s what’s actually happening: The issue isn’t your tool. It’s not even your willpower. It’s a belief you don’t even know you’re holding.

I discovered this pattern when I used to run office hours for readers of my book Indistractable. People would show up with their problems, and I’d walk them through the techniques. 

“Have you tried time-boxing? What about removing external triggers?” And they’d inevitably say, “No, I haven’t tried it yet.” 

They understood the benefits. They had the tools. But they didn’t believe those tools would actually work for them. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that if you don’t believe something will work, you won’t use it consistently. You’ll find workarounds. You’ll give up.

This is what I call The Motivation Triangle. To follow through on any behavior change, you need three things: understanding the benefits, knowing what behaviors to follow, and believing it will actually make a difference. Most productivity advice focuses on the first two. But belief? That’s the missing leg that determines whether you actually use the tools you already have.

Three Limiting Beliefs Ruining Your Focus

So what hidden beliefs are secretly sabotaging your focus? Let me share three I see constantly.

The first is “If it feels hard, I’m doing it wrong.” The moment you feel bored, restless, or uncomfortable during a focus session, you think something’s broken. You abandon the session early. You keep adjusting your setup, searching for the perfect conditions that will make deep work feel effortless. 

But here’s what the research shows: your brain has been trained to expect constant dopamine hits from notifications, likes, and infinite scroll. When you block those sources, you’re literally rewiring neural pathways. That discomfort you feel is a feature, not a bug. It’s your brain adapting to a new normal. The belief that focus should feel easy is precisely what prevents you from building the capacity for sustained attention.

The second is “I’m just not a focused person.” You see someone doing deep work and assume they have some special trait you lack. “I’m too scattered” or “I’m too creative for this” or “Maybe some people can focus, but not me.” 

This belief is particularly insidious because it masquerades as self-knowledge. But focus isn’t a fixed personality trait. It’s a skill that atrophies from disuse and strengthens with practice. 

When you believe you’re “not a focused person,” you don’t even try. You’ve already decided it’s not possible. And here’s what the research on anticipation reveals: your expectations about an experience literally shape what you’re capable of during that experience. Two people block the same distractions. One expects torture. The other expects their best work. 

The third is “I need to stay available.” You tell yourself you have to remain connected in case there’s an emergency or someone needs you. This belief creates constant low-grade anxiety during blocked sessions. You check your phone compulsively. You make exceptions. 

But when you actually test these hidden beliefs—when you go ninety minutes without checking—what happens? In most cases, absolutely nothing urgent actually required your immediate attention. The emails waited. The messages weren’t emergencies. The belief that you need to stay constantly available isn’t protecting you from anything real. It’s just keeping you perpetually interrupted.

Your Turn

Before your next focus session, try this simple practice. Ask yourself: “What hidden beliefs are making this feel hard?” Write it down. Then test it. If you believe you need to check email constantly, what actually happens if you don’t check for ninety minutes? Collect real evidence, not fears.

When that shift happens—when the tool stops feeling like restriction and starts feeling like support for work you genuinely value—that’s when everything clicks. The tools you already have are powerful. The beliefs you’re about to discover will make those tools actually work.

Nir Eyal is the author of Beyond Belief (Coming out March 2026).

Get your copy today to unlock exclusive bonuses including a live “Break Through” workshop with and 30-Day Belief Transformation Journal.

To learn more about Nir or his work, or blog – you can visit his site at NirAndFar.com.