You versus Distractions – How to win a losing battle in a distractable 2021

It is the year 2021. Where life is one big fight against a constant barrage of distractions.

People think they are busy being productive when in fact people are busy being distracted. Busy answering the beep of the constant, and slightly annoying, notification. Busy scrolling social media. Busy waiting for something to grab their attention - anything. Busy making to do lists to make them feel productive.

They never achieve what they need to achieve and feel like they are on a hamster wheel – trying to keep up with life.

Time is so precious. As you get a little older, you start to realise this more. We all have the same 24 hours in the day. My advice: Don’t waste it being distracted or spending time on the wrong thing.

Lets talk about distractions. Distractions usually fill a void when you feel bored. We should never be bored in the year 2021. Or they jump up and down grabbing your attention when you are trying to start something that might make you feel uncomfortable, or where the thing you are trying to complete is labelled difficult or something mundane.  Your mind immediately starts to look for a big shiny distraction.

Once you are aware of this you can become a distraction ninja. Ready to smile and say “hello distraction” and counter challenge back to take control of your precious time.

Let’s delve a bit more.

The number one type of distraction is linked to procrastination, where you are attempting to do something and suddenly your mind finds all these excuses and reasons not to do the thing. It feels like a trick. And it is. It is a delay from feeling uncomfortable, doing hard stuff, or making decisions.

How do you combat this? You become super aware of the reason for procrastination, acknowledge and trick your brain by doing something, anything, one thing linked to what you should be doing. Five minutes of action will nudge you back on track, re-focus your attention on the thing you should be doing and the next thing you know – success – you have completed the task that was being de-railed.

I procrastinate before a run. I can feel my mind hunting down for a distraction. I’ve even found myself cleaning my flat instead of running. I always eventually run but end up running hungry as I’ve eaten into my run time by cleaning. It is so wild. Now I explain to my mind I know what is happening. I allow myself to procrastinate for an allocated time, maybe ten minutes, then I grab my trainers and once they are on I am one step closer to heading outside to run.

Sometimes a distraction fills a small gap in your day but then it suddenly hijacks your day - “Oh I will just check social media for 5 mins”, then one hour later you are deep lost in someones page. Your precious time gone forever.

In this situation what is key, again, is self awareness. Have your to do list ready and when a gap appears then fill it with something productive. Or give yourself a social media limit – 20 minute scroll online then switch off your mobile data.

Distractions come in all forms – social media showing us everyone’s best life, the beep of our phone enticing us over as if the phone is shouting “come look at something that might dull your boredom – someone else’s life”, checking emails for an update, online shopping - really doing anything but the thing we need to do.

How do we win the distraction battle?

We become super Self Aware: Monitor when the distractions come –  are you bored, tired, when you  have too much to do and can not decide or the thing you should be doing is going to be difficult. Be clear on your daily, weekly and monthly priorities. What is the one thing that needs to be actioned today. Then build strategies around this.

Here is my distraction toolkit:

A. Remove distractions:

1. Turn off notifications – no more active distractions

 2. Switch ON airplane mode when you need to focus on an important task

3. Switch OFF mobile data: let people know if they need you to call

4. Regular Social Media Detox – free yourself and your mind

5. Remove the main apps you use to distract yourself from your phone home screen. It is easy to distract yourself, so make it harder.

6. Hide your phone in a different room so when you reach out to distract yourself – it is nowhere to be found!

B. Manage Distractions:

1. Schedule in scroll time and use as a treat. Limit the distraction where possible.

2. Use it tactically when waiting for something e.g fill dead time – when waiting for the kettle to boil use this time to check your emails

3. Pop your one thing or list of things that need to be done in your calendar on your phone, in clear sight in the house and set reminders to keep track. When you feel the distraction urge then check in on your to do list.

C. See Distractions as a mental toughness activity: Feel the urge to be distracted and tell yourself to do something else productive. Ride that wave. Strong self talk will help you. If you ride out the urge for the first 5 mins and start the thing you are being distracted from you will have beaten the urge.

D. Beat the distractions and  ‘Eat the frog’ – a concept introduced in the book of the same name. Do the hard thing first, as soon as you can, then you have won the day. Everything else after this is a bonus. Boom!

E. Challenge yourself: Talk to yourself when you feel the distraction is happening “Why am I on social media when I have a pile of clothes to iron?” Make the thing you are procrastinating over more fun so you don’t want to distract yourself.  Iron while listening to a podcast, your favourite music or watching your fav show. Win win.

Distractions are perfectly normal. Motivation is not constant. It is our job to become aware every time you feel the urge to procrastinate or waste time then counter it. Before you know it, you have turned it into a game where there is only one result: You 1 versus Procrastination 0. Let the games begin.