Blog Short #251: Distraction Can Be Good For You If You Do It Right
Photo by Nappy for Unsplash+
Here’s my usual self-talk when I’m trying to focus:
“Don’t get distracted! Keep your mind on your work. Stay focused. Stop drifting. Earth to Barb. Earth to Barb . . .”
Sound familiar? Do you get caught up in that same battle with distraction? I’m sure you do. Everybody does. Even someone who’s generally focused. It happens.
Distraction isn’t inherently bad. It depends on how you use it. It can definitely take you down a rabbit hole where you lose control of your time, but used the right way, distraction can be beneficial. The trick is knowing how to use it and how not to.
The first step is awareness.
Observe Yourself for a Week
You need to find out just how much time you spend engaging in distractions. Not only how much time, but also doing what?
A good place to start is to observe yourself for a week and note every time you become distracted.
This task is a little tricky because sometimes you knowingly engage in distractions, and other times it just happens, and you don’t recognize it until you’re interrupted. You can guestimate when necessary.
If a week is too much, start with several days. You want to document the actual activity you’re engaged in and the amount of time you spent. Those are the two pieces of information you need.
Examples include spending time on social media, watching TV, surfing the net, or engaging in any other type of digital activity.
Others may be less obvious, such as getting lost in thought or getting caught up in another activity to avoid doing something you need to do.
The Why
In addition to documenting the activity you use to distract yourself and the time spent, you also want to document the reason behind it.
Generally, distractions are used as a means of avoidance. Avoiding emotional pain, boredom, doing something you don’t want to do, dealing with a problem, or interacting with someone you dislike.
In other cases, you become distracted because something else interrupts you or catches your attention.
In the latter case, the distraction wasn’t deliberate. It happened to you.
For example, you’re working on a project at work, and your boss calls you into his office for a moment. You get distracted from what you were doing. Or you’re reading a book at home and your neighbor decides to blare his stereo, which grabs your attention and prevents you from focusing.
These types of distractions aren’t the ones that you need to document unless you want to. The distractions we’re addressing are the ones used for avoidance.
You can still document all of them if you’re also interested in finding out what gets in the way of your productivity.
Make your list for at least two days, but shoot for a full week. You’ll learn more that way.
What Did You Learn?
Now that you have some real data, you can find out two things:
- What are your go-to activities to distract yourself?
- What are you avoiding when you engage in them?
That second question will likely vary depending on where you are, the time of day, who you’re with, or whether you’re alone.
Let it sit for a few days and see what kinds of insights pop up in your mind.
The first thing most people notice is the amount of time they spend on distractions.
And secondly, the repetitive use of certain types of distractions.
They also get a good picture of what kinds of things they avoid, and how often.
This information is invaluable because it can inspire you to make changes that will ultimately reduce your stress and make you feel more in control of your life. You may also become more acutely aware of things you avoid that need to be confronted and changed.
Most people are aware that they use distractions to avoid things, but few of us are aware of how much and in what ways. The quantity is usually surprising.
Get the data, evaluate it, and record your conclusions and insights.
When Distractions Are Beneficial
Distractions aren’t all bad. Sometimes you need them. For example:
You need a break from a brain-intensive task to rest your mind and return with renewed energy and a fresh perspective.
You’ve worked hard all day and need something to distract you from your work and help you relax in the evening.
You feel overwhelmed with a problem and need some time to let it sit before figuring out what to do.
Distractions in any of these cases can be helpful. None of them are attempts to avoid the actual work or situation, but to break up the intensity of focus that’s getting in the way of making progress. They’re purposeful.
A typical example is working for an hour, taking a 10- to 15-minute break, and then resuming work. These breaks serve as distractions that allow your mind to rest and recharge.
There’s a commonality in all these examples. It is that you use distraction in a very intentional way, even if it’s to watch a movie.
You decide how long the distraction will last, and what you’ll do during the time. You might work for 30 minutes, check social media for 10, and then return to work. The distraction is contained, voluntary, and useful.
That’s very different from getting lost in watching Reels on Facebook or YouTube videos for hours, and then at some point, realizing you haven’t done the things you had intended to do.
That’s a runaway distraction. It’s involuntary and steals your time and motivation.
Constructive distractions are timed, planned, and intentional.
Use These Rules to Manage Distractions
1. Be aware that you’re about to engage in a distraction before you do it.
In other words, don’t engage in distracting activities without being aware that you’re doing so.
2. Decide how long you’ll engage in it based on your purpose.
Distractions are aids. They can be used as breaks, as entertainment to relax, as a means of allowing creative ideas to emerge, or as a change of scenery to avoid stagnation. Why are you doing it, and is it in your best interest?
3. Don’t use distraction as a means to avoid something.
But do use it as a respite or break when you feel stuck. However, be sure to return to the problem or task you need to address.
4. Avoid bingeing on distractions.
Distractions aren’t meant to be lengthy. You might argue that taking a vacation is a distraction. It is, but that’s more than a distraction. It’s a planned activity with a purpose.
5. Monitor the effect that your distractions have on you.
If watching the news is a distraction or sitting on social media is a distraction, how good are either of those activities for you? And how much or how long should you be engaging in them? What are the benefits and what are the downsides?
You might decide that 15 minutes on social media is beneficial for you because it helps you relax and restores your energy to do other things, but not a whole hour. Monitor it.
6. Be mindful of the timing.
For example, using distractions early in the day before you’ve really dug into your work is a means of avoidance. Let your distractions serve as breaks, rewards, and opportunities for resetting. Not for avoidance.
The Bottom Line
Used correctly, distraction is a good instrument for pacing yourself.
Rather than wrestle with it, take control of it, monitor it, use it intentionally, and enjoy it.
It’s a good technique for making things easier as long as you’re on top of it. Don’t let it be on top of you!
That’s all for today.
Have a great week!
All my best,
Barbara