DISTRACTIONS

 

This week’s tip is about distractions. We have talked a lot about being present in the moment, especially with our top life roles. This is something that I cannot reiterate enough. It is easy to be in the moment with yourself, a loved one, or even doing work, but to do this every time we engage in an activity, that takes focus and some serious good habits.

We live in an age of distractions. Remember “back in the day” when you had to pull over and use a 7-11 phone booth outside the gas station if you wanted to check in or reach out to someone. Remember, writing directions down on paper in order to get to your destination. Oh, and dare we forget when we felt big time with our “pagers.” Even the easy of texting has evolved from the day when, if we wanted to type the letter “C” we had to hit the number one key three times, A, B, C.

Not only is technology a major distraction, but we are even subliminally encouraged to lose focus just as we drive to work. There are hundreds of billboards in just a small radius that cause us to lose track of the “in the moment” driving. When we see a billboard for Saturday Nights Wine Fest we immediately focus on our weekend plans, who we are going to ask to come with us, etc. And, if you try to avoid the billboard that says $500 million lotto, and you decide to look down, you will be looking at a billboard BENCH!  

No matter how hard you try, distractions will always be there. It is a matter of how you acknowledge the distraction and immediately go back to what you are doing. If you acknowledge that distractions will surround you at all times, you can plan to minimize some and others that you can’t control, you can focus on ways to better manage those.

Common distractions:

When you are working on something in which you have to focus, put your phone in another room- even if it is only for 15, 20, or 30 minutes increments. You will be surprised how much you can get done in 15 minutes when you have no distractions.

When you are driving, don’t text while driving and minimize phone conversation. Sometimes the car ride is the only 30 minutes a day you get alone. Be with yourself.

Finish one thing at a time. Typically we have 4 screens open on our computer, the phone next to us, the kids asking for chocolate milk and someone needing us for something, all while we are realizing we now can’t make it to Yoga on time. Have one tab open on the screen, set the phone aside, and let people know you want to be alone for 15 minutes. Have someone else help with the kids or get the kids set up before you begin a task. Pick one thing, finish it, or complete it in increments and then take a break.

This week’s challenge- Remember that when your mind leaves a situation, so do you, even though your body is still technically in that room. Whenever, you owe someone or something your time, be present with them and don’t let the things around you distract you, because when your mind leaves, so do you, and don’t think people don’t notice.