Distractions are all around us. From modern technology to interactions with our friends, family and coworkers, they are practically unavoidable. And this makes it very hard to focus, especially for a sustained period of time on a specific task. And, it's not going to decrease anytime soon with advances in technology. So, there is no better time than now to learn the best strategies to help you defeat distractions head on. Remember, many distractions may be out of your control, but you can learn to take charge of whether or not they take control of you. In this article, you'll learn not only why distractions are so distractions are so destructive, but also why they exist in the first place, and a powerful technique that can help you get rid of them for good.
What is a Distraction?
The definition of a distraction is such: “a stimulus or task that draws attention away from the task of primary interest.” Meaning, they draw our attention away from whatever it is that we want to do, such as looking at your phone each time a notification comes up, chatting with people who stop by your office space while you're working, checking social media or emails. These are all distractions! Here's an example of how a distraction got in the way of something really important to me. One day my only child and I were working on an activity book, which was designed to bring fathers and daughters together. One of the activities was to ask each other, “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” Unfortunately, I can't recall my daughter’s answer, because I let a distraction get in the way of our quality time together. “Daddy?” she asked. “Just a second,” I impatiently mumbled, “I need to respond to one thing.” I was focusing at the time only on my phone. When I was finished and finally looked up, she was gone. At that moment, I realized that my special moment with my daughter was gone because I had let a distraction take that time from me. had just blown a special moment with my daughter because I had allowed something on my phone to distract me--and this wasn't the first time something like this has happened. I knew I had to make a conscious decision to change the way I viewed distractions, and I'm going to help you do the same so you can fully enjoy your life just as you envision.
Traction: The Opposite of Distraction
So, we've come to the conclusion that distractions are bad, and we don't want those. What we want to achieve is the opposite: traction. now, you won't find this listed as any true antonym for distraction if you look to a thesaurus or dictionary; yet, I propose it so as by definition traction is any
action that moves us towards what we really want. Traction is an action that you fully engage in with intent--following through with what you say you will do.
The Reasons for Distraction
When we talk about distractions, we're talking about human behavior and reactions to the distractions themselves. And, all human behavior is marked by external or internal triggers.
External triggers are cues that we take from our environment which tell us what to do, such as pings from our phone or computer that prompt us to look at whatever the alert is announcing: an instagram update, an email, a text from an old friend. When you boil it down, these external triggers become in competition for our attention with whatever task we're ultimately trying to focus on. Sometimes the mere presence of an object itself, such as having your phone nearby, can prompt you to give it attention. As well, there are
Internal triggers, which are simply cues that come from within, such as hunger, anxiety about an upcoming event, or feeling cold. All human behavior is prompted by external or internal triggers; therefore, traction and distraction both originate from the same source.
How to Become Indistractable
Distractions can easily take over your life, but below I outline 4 simple tactics to take back your control and become indistractable. This concept I am sharing with you now draws from my book
Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.
1. Master Internal Triggers
To overcome distractions, you first need to understand what motivates, or drives, your behavior to become susceptible to distractions. Humans have a natural tendency to want to escape discomfort. Even at times where we are going after pleasure and positive events, our drive often revolved around freeing ourselves from the discomfort of wanting. So, in truth, we will turn to social media, emails, video games, Netflix not necessarily for the pleasure that they provide, but because of how they free us from psychological discomfort within. While it provides temporary relief, it is an unhealthy way to deal with your life. Even though you can't control all outside situations and occurrences, you can control how you react to those circumstances. Various studies show that when humans don't give into an urge, craving or impulse, it can trigger rumination and make the desire grow even stronger. So, when you eventually give in, your reward is increased, which can turn quickly into an undesired habit. Dr. Jonathan Bricker, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, developed a set of steps to take when we are faced with a tempting distraction.((J Dual Diagn:
Web-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Smoking Cessation Treatment for Smokers with Depressive Symptoms))
Identify the Feeling or Thought Behind Your Urge
When you find yourself wanting to give into your distraction, stop and become familiar with the internal trigger. How are you feeling? Is it anxiety, overtired, or maybe you're underprepared for the task at hand?
Write Your Feelings Down
Bricker advises using a log and writing down the time of day and what you were doing, along with the feeling that accompanies it. Doing so will help you link your own behaviors with your internal triggers, which will help you better notice the thoughts and feelings that precede certain behaviors and better manage them.
Get Curious and Explore Your Feelings and Sensations
Bricker advises having a sense of curiosity towards the feelings. Notice of you have butterflies in your stomach, or a tightening in your muscles. He recommends the “leaves on a stream” method. To do this you simply imagine yourself beside a stream, on which leaves gently float by. Place each thought and negative feeling on individual leaves and watch them float away. In addition to Bricker’s steps, I have several other solutions that can be used to master any internal triggers leading to distraction.
2. Make Time for Traction
Planning is so critical to beating distractions, because if you don't plan your day, surely someone else will! When you're not clear on how you want to do with your time, anything and everything becomes a potential distraction. First, you need to turn your values into time. Of course many of us want to spend more time with things that matter most to us: our family, friends and hobbies, but oftentimes we fail to do so. Why? Because we don’t make time for them in our day. So, you must acquire the attributes and values of the person you want to become. Examples might include being a contributing member of a team, a loving and caring parent, a fair and loving partner, continuing education, becoming physically fit, or giving back to your community. SO many of us wish to subscribe to these values, but without making the time to take actions to live them out, they’re simply empty aspirations.
Timebox Your Schedule
Timeboxing is, in my opinion, the most effective way to ensure time for your values.
Timeboxing is the process of deciding what you’re going to do and exactly when you’re going to do it. You simply create a daily calendar template for how to spend your time, so that you have no white space in your day. It isn't important what you have planned to do, as long as you stick to it. So, if you feel a need to scroll through social media, just make sure you have planned appropriately for it. This gives you power to decide exactly how much time you want to devote to each area of your life, and you can plan it out according to your own values. Once you do this, you will then create a weekly calendar template for your ideal week. You can check out this helpful template on my website((Nir & Far:
How to be More Productive and Focus (+ Free Schedule Maker)))
. Be sure to include 15 minutes per week to reflect and refine your calendar--improving it week by week. You can ask yourself:
When did I do what I said I would do, and when did I get distracted? At times where you became distracted, note what triggered it and come up with a strategy to use the next time the distraction or urge arises. Also ask:
Are there changes I can make to my calendar that will give me the time I need to better express my values? This helps you to change the day so that your calendar will be easier to follow next week.
Synch Your Schedule with Others
Once your ideal week has been planned, be sure to notify others of importance in your life. Make a clear intention to stick with your plans and involve those who matter most with regards to your agenda. This could be related to sharing household responsibilities, altering your boss to your timeline intentions at work, or even scheduling a date with your partner.
3. Combat External Technical Triggers
Tech companies are really adept at using external triggers to hack into our attention. There are countless ways they do so, but our smart phone use is fueled by many of these triggers. Research shows that ignoring a call or message can be just as distracting((The Atlantic:
Push Notifications Are as Distracting as Phone Calls)) as responding to one! If used properly, though, you can take control and rely on these external triggers to remind you to follow through with what you planned. To do so, simply ask whether the external trigger is serving you, or are you serving it. If the trigger leads you to traction, keep it; if it leads you to distraction, get rid of it. A few things to consider:
- Remove any and all apps you no longer need.
- Remove any apps that you enjoy, but you can use on your computer instead.
- Reduce the clutter on your home screen by rearranging the apps on your phone.
- Remove notification settings for each app that you don't need updates on (social media, etc.)
4. Make a Pact to Prevent Distractions
Forethought is the antidote to impulsivity. So, I urge you to make a “precommitment”—which means that you are removing a future choice—in order to overcome distraction. Some of these precommitments are advanced healthcare directives, retirement accounts that penalize us for early withdrawal, and “until death do us part” marriage vows. We cement these decisions far in advance of any temptations and distractions that may come our way. This should only be undertaken after you have followed the other three steps and learned to manage internal triggers, make time for traction, and reduce external triggers.
The 3 Types of Pacts
Effort Pact
This is a kind of precommitment which requires you to increase the amount of effort towards something you would rather not do. Increasing your effort forces you make the decision as to whether the distraction is really worth it or not. Some great apps that can help you with this include
SelfControl,
Forest, and
Freedom.
Price Pact
This pact puts money on the line, whereas if you follow through with your intended behavior, you get to keep your money, and if you get distracted, you lose your funds. I committed to a price pact when finishing the first draft of my book, promising an accountability partner $10,000 if I failed to finish my draft by the set deadline. This was an incentive for me to finish writing my book, and keep my money.
Identity Pact
Is the method of using your self-image to impact on your behavior. By deciding on and undertaking on a new identity, you will empower yourself to make decisions based on who you believe you are. Think about vegetarians-- they do not have to expend much willpower to avoid eating meat, because they have committed to that as part of their identity. So, to become a person who is indistractable, stop telling yourself you are a person with a “short attention span” or and “addictive personality”. Rather, tell yourself, “I am indistractable.” If you say to yourself that you are easily distracted, it instantly becomes a truth. Yet, if you commit to believing that you are indistractable, you will immediately begin to implement these strategies, which will empower you to conquer any distraction that comes your way.
You Got This!
To become indistractable, you need not have any superpowers. It's truly as easy as following these few steps mentioned above. When you master internal triggers, make time for traction, dissolve any extraneous external triggers, and prevent distractions by creating pacts, you will reshape your entire life.
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