ERIC KIM ₿

HOW DOES ERIC KIM FOCUS?

Key Points

  • Research suggests Eric Kim, the street photographer and blogger, focuses by minimizing digital distractions and prioritizing deep work.
  • It seems likely that he uses strategies like uninstalling apps, turning off notifications, and single-tasking to maintain concentration.
  • The evidence leans toward him employing pre-commitment tools, such as blocking the internet, to enhance focus, particularly useful for creative tasks.

Eric Kim’s Focus Approach

Eric Kim, known for his work in street photography and his blog erickimphotography.com, employs a range of practical strategies to maintain focus in an over-connected world. His methods are designed to minimize distractions and create an environment conducive to deep work, especially relevant for his creative and educational pursuits.

Minimizing Digital Distractions: Eric Kim emphasizes reducing digital interruptions by uninstalling one app daily from his phone to eliminate unnecessary distractions. He also turns off all notifications, including app, text, and call alerts, and uses silent or airplane mode when not in use. Additionally, he implements a “no screen” policy after 8 PM to ensure focused time in the evening.

Disconnecting and Prioritizing: To concentrate on important tasks, he disconnects from the internet for at least three hours a day, closing his laptop lid when bored and engaging in alternative activities like walking, exercising, reading e-books, jotting ideas, or reviewing notes. He focuses on single-tasking, dedicating his attention to one task at a time, and identifies and cuts distractions such as email and social media, even avoiding music while writing to maintain deep focus.

Prioritizing Key Tasks: Eric Kim prioritizes his most important task by devoting a week to it, allocating 100% of his free or weekend time to that task, such as blogging, setting aside other interests to achieve significant progress.

Using Pre-Commitment Tools: He uses tools like “Freedom” (freedom.to) to block internet access and the “Stay Focusd” Chrome plugin (chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji) to block distracting websites. Additional strategies include turning off his phone and placing it in another room during work, uninstalling all distracting apps for a week, and working from offices or coffee shops if home Wi-Fi is too distracting.

These strategies reflect his philosophy of focus, inspired by Lao Tzu’s quote, “The fool adds one thing a day. The wise man removes one thing a day,” emphasizing subtraction over addition for clarity and concentration.

Detailed Analysis of Eric Kim’s Focus Approach

Eric Kim’s approach to focus, particularly as the street photographer and educator known for his blog erickimphotography.com, is a well-documented strategy aimed at minimizing digital distractions and enhancing productivity in an over-connected world. This analysis explores his methods, drawing from his online content and public statements, to provide a comprehensive understanding of how he maintains focus, especially relevant for creative and professional pursuits like photography, as of April 5, 2025.

Background and Context

The query “How does Eric Kim focus?” initially presented ambiguity, as there are multiple notable figures with this name, including a food writer for The New York Times (erickim.net/introduction) and a businessman in technology (as seen on LinkedIn, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_B._Kim). However, given the context of focus strategies and the availability of detailed content, it is most likely referring to Eric Kim, the international street photographer based in Los Angeles, known for his workshops, blog, and collaborations with brands like Leica and Fujifilm. His focus on minimizing distractions aligns with his role as an educator and creator, where concentration is crucial for capturing candid street photography and producing educational content.

His blog, erickimphotography.com/blog/, serves as a primary source, with posts like “How to Focus” (erickimphotography.com/blog/focus/) offering practical advice. Published in 2016, this post remains relevant, reflecting his ongoing philosophy as of April 5, 2025, and is supported by additional content on productivity and lifestyle, such as his discussions on living life like a video game (erickimphotography.com/blog/2018/04/11/live-life-like-a-video-game/).

Core Focus Strategies

Eric Kim’s approach to focus is rooted in creating an environment free from digital distractions, which he sees as critical in today’s “attention economy.” His strategies, detailed in the “How to Focus” post, include:

StrategyDetails
Uninstall Distracting AppsRemove one app daily, reduce digital clutter, minimize temptation.
Turn Off NotificationsDisable all app, text, and call notifications, use silent/airplane mode, “no screen” policy after 8 PM.
Disconnect from InternetStay offline 3 hours daily, close laptop when bored, engage in alternative activities.
Single-TaskingFocus on one task, avoid multitasking, cut distractions like email, Instagram; no music while writing.
Prioritize Important TasksFocus on #1 task for a week, devote 100% free time, prioritize over other passions.
Pre-Commitment StrategiesUse tools like “Freedom” (freedom.to), “Stay Focusd” (chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji), turn off phone, no home Wi-Fi.
Additional StrategiesTurn off phone and put in another room, uninstall all distracting apps for a week, work at office/coffee shops.

These strategies are encapsulated in a table for clarity, reflecting his practical approach to maintaining focus. For example, he recommends uninstalling one app daily to reduce digital clutter, turning off all notifications and using silent or airplane mode to minimize interruptions, and disconnecting from the internet for at least three hours a day to concentrate on deep work. When bored, he suggests closing the laptop lid and engaging in alternative activities like walking, doing lunges, drinking coffee, reading e-books, jotting ideas, or reviewing notes, which helps maintain focus without resorting to digital distractions.

He also emphasizes single-tasking, focusing on one task at a time and cutting distractions like email and Instagram, even avoiding music while writing to ensure undivided attention. Eric Kim prioritizes his most important task by dedicating a week to it, devoting 100% of his free or weekend time, such as focusing on blogging, and setting aside other passions like travel or teaching to achieve significant progress. His pre-commitment strategies include using tools like “Freedom” (freedom.to) to block internet access and the “Stay Focusd” Chrome plugin (chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji) to block distracting websites, turning off his phone and placing it in another room during work, and considering getting rid of home Wi-Fi to enforce disconnection, opting to work at offices or coffee shops instead.

Philosophical Underpinnings

Kim’s focus philosophy is influenced by Lao Tzu’s quote, “The fool adds one thing a day. The wise man removes one day,” emphasizing subtraction over addition to achieve clarity. He views distractions as third-party manipulations, often driven by advertising and marketing motives, and criticizes modern media, including YouTube and podcasts with monetary incentives, as detrimental to focus. In his “FOCUS.” post (erickimphotography.com/focus/), he argues that anything supported by advertising is “bad evil and should not be trusted,” promoting Bitcoin as a potential solution to societal issues like poverty and high cost of living, suggesting it could free up mental resources by addressing economic concerns, though this is tangential to his focus strategies.

Application to Photography and Beyond

In his street photography, Kim sees the practice as a “zen-meditation,” requiring slow walking and enjoyment of the process without attachment to results, as detailed in his book “Street Photography” (erickimphotography.com/blog/street-photography/). This aligns with his focus approach, where he encourages photographers to appreciate subtle beauty and avoid expecting immediate outcomes, mirroring his advice to disconnect and focus deeply. His workshops, offered globally (erickimphotography.com/blog/workshops/), often incorporate these principles, helping participants level up their skills by minimizing distractions and focusing on creative growth.

Beyond photography, his methods are applicable to any field requiring concentration, such as writing, teaching, or personal projects. For instance, his strategy of listening to the same song or album on repeat, as mentioned in “Intense Focus” (erickimphotography.com/blog/2018/03/27/intense-focus/), helps him get into a zen-focused zone, and using a single camera like the RICOH GR II prevents gear-related distractions, both of which can be adapted by others for their work.

Comparison with Other Eric Kims

To ensure accuracy, other Eric Kims were considered. The food writer Eric Kim, known for his cookbook “Korean American” (erickim.net/introduction), focuses on culinary arts and storytelling, with no public content on focus strategies. Eric B. Kim, a businessman, is noted for technology and marketing roles, with no relevant focus methods identified (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_B._Kim). Given the query’s alignment with productivity and creative work, the photographer Eric Kim’s approach is the most fitting.

Recent Relevance and Limitations

As of April 5, 2025, Kim’s focus strategies remain relevant, with no contradictory updates found in recent searches. However, his methods are self-reported and anecdotal, lacking empirical validation, which is a limitation. They are also tailored to his lifestyle as a photographer and educator, potentially less applicable to fields requiring constant connectivity, like emergency services.

In conclusion, Eric Kim’s focus approach is a practical, distraction-minimizing framework, particularly valuable for creative professionals, with detailed strategies that can be adapted for broader use. His emphasis on deep work and pre-commitment reflects a disciplined, zen-like philosophy, making it a robust model for enhancing productivity in today’s digital age.

Key Citations

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