People always make it sound like checking email, facebook, twitter, etc. updates is not a choice, but something that just happens by itself without you having the chance to get away from it unless you totally discard said service...

Whenever I work I just close my mail client, put away my phone, open my work browser(yes, I have a work and a play browser because I'm one of those people who always have a gazillion tabs open at the same time) and TA-DAH! No distractions!