Are you easily distracted? Do you work with, or live with, someone who's prone to mind-wandering? According to the following article in The New York Times, our mind wanders 47 percent of the time. We are designed to be distracted, to constantly be watchful of potential dangers or threats. Distraction is an evolutionary adaptation to keep us safe and alive. Yet, in a world that is filled with distractions, we have become more distracted than ever. It is no small feat trying to effectively manage the tsunami of distractions with an inherently distracted and wandering mind. The human brain constantly juggles focus and attention. Most of us are probably distracted more often than we think. We are distracted at work, when driving, at home with loved ones, and in our leisure time. Even during meditation, and even those who have been meditating for years struggle to quiet the mind and maintain concentration and focus. We get distracted by both outside stimuli and our own inner chatter, over-thinking or emotional overwhelm. How do you live with distractions? You learn to embrace them.
It may seem surprising, but mind-wandering is the path to focused attention. When practicing meditation, distractions are a part of the process. The goal is not to fight the wandering mind, but rather to tame it, to gently bring attention back to the present moment. Instead of trying to resist distractions, we could take a counter-intuitive approach and learn to embrace and restructure them. We operate on bursts of focus and engagement. We’ve evolved to zoom in and out of focus. We can’t really focus continuously on task. In-between periods of steadfast attentiveness, we scan our surroundings for more interesting or important things. So, rather than viewing distractions in a negative light, preventing us from being productive, perhaps a better approach would be to look at distractions in a new light. Not unlike the process of converting photo negatives into digital colorful images. Let’s acknowledge we have a short attention span, shorter than that of a goldfish, and turn distractions into a superpower. Learning not only to live with distractions but to thrive when juggling an infinite amount of information and endless stimuli.
But what is the secret to being attuned to the creative unfolding of each moment while there are a million things vying for our attention? And how can we get things done amid a sea of distractions? We are bombarded with information every single minute of every single day: email, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Pinterest, blog posts, etc. The list is getting longer by the day. For most of us, these distractions are how we stay informed and get our presence out there, the bread and butter of any working professional. In the online playing field, our devices are our lifeline; our productivity is found in our distractions. And whether you are an entrepreneur chasing business or a professional building a successful career, productivity is crucial to survival. Accessing information is easy; the challenge is tuning in and selecting the right information.
In a world saturated with distractions, it is crucial to master the skill of structuring the distractions. Start every day spending time creating a task list to plan for what needs to get done that day. Your day will become more manageable when you go into it with an action plan. As little as 30 minutes of planning can yield hours of productivity. It is almost a guarantee that your day will be filled with distractions and interruptions that will take up precious time. Plan for it and try to remain on task as much as possible. You will also find that despite your best efforts, your to-do list will never get any smaller. It’s a good thing. Here’s a look at 3 common distractions that can actually boost your productivity if you choose the right structure:
1. Living in the web Use your smartphone smartly for work. There’s an app for just about anything: work management, time management, scheduling, note taking, etc. If you can name it, you can probably download it. Use technology to get your work done efficiently finding information, getting answers, collaborating with others, and tracking essential sites for what’s trending. Fully utilize and leverage the digital universe to boost your performance.
2. Working the inbox Email is often cited as a major productivity killer. But the real issue is inbox management. To effectively manage your emails, you cannot scratch the itch. Learn to overcome the urge to constantly check and respond to messages as they come in. Additionally, using filters and automating tasks and processes can free up your time. And most importantly, the number of emails you receive correlates to the number of those you send. Limit the number of emails you send in the first place.
3. Playing in the sandbox The modern workplace can be described as the social workplace. The secret to high performance is teamwork. It is about camaraderie, cooperation, and collaboration. It’s not about being the smartest, or the best, person in the room. If you are, you are in the wrong room. Performing to potential depends on the ability to work well with others. To do that, relationships at work must be nurtured. So, socializing is highly recommended. But how much is too much? Schmoozing by the proverbial water cooler for too long can become too distracting and detrimental to your career. Be strategic about your socializing time.
Structuring each of the distractions listed above is doable if you break your day into chunks of time and schedule tasks to be completed in those intervals. Apply the 80/20 rule to your to-do list: 20% of your activities will yield 80% of your progress, so be sure to focus on the tasks that will move you closer to achieving your goals. Working hard is important, but knowing where to make the effort will determine the ultimate success of your efforts. As you set yourself up for success, identify the ways you work best and honor the habits that best work for you. Social media, email, and socializing are only a problem if they get in the way of getting things done instead of enhancing your performance. It is up to you whether to be distracted or re-structured.
Follow the Five Ds to Restructure Distractions:
1. De-clutter Simplify. Reduce your possessions, your commitments, your digital information, and overthinking. Give yourself room to breathe by cleaning up important spaces.
2. Delay Practice delayed gratification. Make a conscious decision to slow down, not move too fast. Take a breath and re-assess priorities. Keep focus on your 1-3 Most Important Things (MITs.)
3. Decline Learn to say no. There are a million things you could be doing at any given minute. Try to avoid being like a kitten chasing every shiny object it sees. Stick to your MITs.
4. Decide To do or to delegate that is the question. If you cannot delay or decline the distraction, make a plan to either do it yourself, or delegate the work, task, or responsibility.
5. De-stress So, you’ve been interrupted. Breathe deep. Take stock. Let go of any feeling of stress, or tension, and crack on with what you need to be doing.
It is hard to make sense of things with so much going on in the world. When you are facing a sea of distractions: physical (too much staff), mental (too much to do), and emotional (too much undealt with feelings), defocus to refocus. Restructuring distractions is a muscle you can grow. As you get in the habit, you gradually improve your mindset toward focus.
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