The study focuses on the non-homogeneous relationship between digital distraction, self-regulation, and academic performance of 415 Information Technology students in a higher learning institution in the National Capital Region (NCR), Philippines. Although this has now become part of everyday awareness that the effect of digital multitasking is negative, there is emerging evidence of a productive paradox through which the distraction affects individuals considerably. k-means is used in this study on thirteen multitasking behavior (MB) and study habits (SH) behavioral features to unveil the concealed coping strategies. The cluster analysis successfully categorized the students into three statistically significant archetypes: Cluster 1 (40%), Adaptive Multitaskers; Cluster 2 (35%), Focused and Self-Regulated; and Cluster 0 (25%), Unregulated & Distraction-Prone. The findings contradict traditional explanations and lead to the conclusion that the outcome of students is more likely to be influenced by the unmeasured cognitive factors, which means that the interventions should be targeted at the specific strategies and should not be based on the generic measures.