I was listening to a few seconds of an interview identifying “focus.” It’s not something you decide to start the following Monday. Instead, it’s doing it right now on what you’re working on this minute. You may think it’s okay to delay starting, but something distracts you when you think you’ve got it figured out. The distraction monster dangles a bauble in front of you and off you go! Skipping down the distracted path!
How do you beat the monster of distraction?
According to this speaker, it’s all about controlling every moment. How? Ask yourself and others around you as needed: “Does this have anything to do with what we are working on right now? Is this a distraction? Table it! Let’s get back to the task at hand.”
Maybe you need someone to be the meetings monster slayer!
But what do you do when you are by yourself? We all know that distractions while driving create the potential for harm, so we write new laws and create better technology to help us keep our eyes on the road. Why can we not do this for anything on the plate in front of us?
Well, there are more reasons than I can shake a stick at, but perhaps you know your reasons. Mine? I don’t want to lose a single idea. When it pops its head up into my consciousness, I need to honor the thought with a few moments of thinking it through, writing it down or putting it on the calendar. Now. What was I doing?
That’s the Monster of Distraction!
It pulls us away from an important task or thought, and when it releases us, we have to reenergize the bunny to begin our task focus again.
The Monster of Distraction: It pulls us away from an important task or thought, and when it releases us, we have to reenergize the bunny to begin our task focus again. Click To TweetHow Do You Fix It?
Maybe the easiest fix is to sacrifice the thought for the welfare of the project. But wait! Don’t some thoughts take precedent over the project I’m trying to fix? Sure. Just be smart enough to know which distraction is worthwhile.
Steve Jobs asked this question: “What have you said ‘no’ to recently?” In other words, that thing you would like to tackle but it interferes with your focus, what have you declined to do or get involved in.
This morning I was thinking (probably dreaming) of another distraction to which I’m getting better at saying “No!” so that I’m not lost in the maze of wasted time and effort. Pat myself on the back! I skipped it and said, “no thanks, not this time.”
Maybe this is the key. I am learning to say “no” and mean it!
“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage pleasantly, smilingly, and non-apologetically – to say no to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger yes burning inside.” ~Stephen Covey
One office allowed you to stretch a ribbon across your cubicle door to indicate you were busy and had no time for distractions. Me? Put on a headset and let white noise fade out the jet engines of voices! A mule has eye shades on to keep him from pulling either way to the latest distraction.
What’s your easiest way to ward off the distraction monster? I’m curious to hear your thoughts.