Episode 21: How to avoid distractions
Welcome to the SPS Podcast.
Let's talk about Avoiding Distractions.
Main quote:
"You can always find a distraction if you're looking for one."
-Tom Kite.
Main takeaways:
The best defence from distractions is a strong sense of purpose.
You love distractions.
You love the dopamine hit they give you, but that hit of dopamine is a productivity killer.
It's rewiring your brain to always focus on new exciting things.
You need to have clear goals and a clear direction in life.
Also...
You need to find a way to have your favourite distractions locked away.
The tip here is to write out your top 5 distractions and plan to avoid them.
If you don't, you fall into the Distraction Spiral.
How to stop the Distraction Spiral.
Sorry, you are a distraction addict, and you're hooked on that sh*t.
Certain mental triggers make you check your phone, start thinking about the past, and get frustrated with situations.
You let your mind spiral and repeat negative actions, thoughts, and patterns that distract you from maintaining focus.
As Will Durrant said:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."
You have let these triggers become habits.
And this is why you spiral then, doom scroll, Netflix binge, or spend hours procrastinating when you know it's work time, not relax time.
But how do you avoid the Distraction Spiral?
Take 10 mins and write down anything you think triggers the distraction spiral.
Examples:
What thoughts lead you to stop working and get distracted when you read something that triggers you?
When you pause working, what thought patterns make you reach for your phone or open a new tab?
What memories or feelings come up as you try to work?
Journal for 5 minutes about the whole process: how the spiral starts and where it goes.
Bring awareness to this process.
With a better understanding of this, you will identify the thought triggers as they happen.
Now you have identified the triggers, you need a system or plan to help you stay focused.
The system that works for me:
As you feel the spiral starting, you can take a few deep breaths, identify it, even journal quickly and then let the spiral pass and not get sucked into it.
Now, this does take practice, and you have to take the time to journal out the thought process and patterns that occur.
How do you go from working on something to sitting on the sofa scrolling on Instagram?
You need to find your triggers and build systems to stop the spiral.
If you can do this, you will find a handful of emotional and underlying issues that commonly trigger you.
Once you have awareness around these patterns and triggers, it gives you perspective to see it happening as it happens.
A powerful process if used correctly.
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Make it a great one,
Stephen
