Forced focus

Author

Mark Bowley
December 18, 2025

No internet. No heating. No lights.

Last weekend we had unplanned 7-hour power outages on both days at our house.

Not dramatic, just fairly inconvenient in a way modern life isn't used to.

What surprised me wasn't the discomfort.

With no internet and nothing quietly pulling at our attention, conversations were better. Silence didn't need filling. It was all silence.

Not especially cosy or "quality time." Just a bit more present, by default.

We tend to talk about attention as a personal failing – focus harder, be more disciplined, set better boundaries. But when you remove the option to be distracted, behaviour follows.

Not aiming to romanticise unplanned power cuts. They're inconvenient, dark and frustrating. But the experience was a useful reminder that most of our time is shaped by the systems and defaults around us.

In work, we design environments for others all the time: tools, processes, expectations. At home, we do the same for ourselves, just less consciously. The weekend made it obvious how much those environments decide for us.

Not drawing big conclusions here. Just a small, slightly uncomfortable insight worth holding onto. The next time poor focus feels like a personal shortcoming rather than a design problem, I’m going to remember how last weekend felt.

I went to a new local coffee shop recently, which is full of cars – porches and classics (also great coffee) 🩶

My Mini Tools prototype portfolio is filling up. Lots of new experiments added in the last few weeks, plus some Javascript art.

I posted about some thoughts on how 2026 will play out on LinkedIn. Inspired by this Dan Koe post.

I’m taking a two week break over the holidays, as I always do. It’s the only time of year to properly recharge. So, I wish you all a good holiday season, and Merry Christmas if you celebrate!

Talk soon,

Mark