Distraction is not limited to our overuse of social media. It is not something new to we humans. The vice has been around since eternity. Many sages and philosophers have spoken and written about it.
Distraction has more to do with our thoughts and our association with the world. We can get distracted over the decade-old brawl with our friends and weeks thinking about what we could have done to avoid it. The guilt, remorse of the past is a distraction here. It is affecting our present.
Distraction is also spending dubious hours on apps which guarantees to find a perfect soulmate, world view, news or constant barge of pings from parents, friends or neighbors on non-trivial issues.
Socrates talked about self-knowledge, knowing yourself. How many of us are practicing it?
Seneca talked about our shortness of life, the allocated time of our life is so short.
“People are frugal in guarding their personal property; but as soon as it comes to squandering time they are most wasteful of the one thing in which it is right to be stingy.” ― Seneca
“The unexamined life is not worth living” — Socrates
The only way we can avoid distraction is by being self-aware, utilizing this precious life moment by moment and keeping count of our actions.