Distractions are nasty little things. I define them as anything that draws our attention away from doing what we really want to be doing. For me, this can be social media and internet surfing. If I want to get moving on a task, I need to turn the computer (and the phone) off.
Have you ever thought about what might be distracting you from making progress toward your goal? Distractions can be people, habits, food, alcohol, work or many other things. They quietly pull us off course, often disguised as excuses and rationalizations. Identifying distractions can be a game changer.
Now is the time to mindfully identify anything you believe has the power to sabotage your success. Write your distractions down, and then strategize how to minimize their impact. You may not be able to eliminate each and every one, but even erecting some boundaries and limits can make the journey to success a lot easier.
I couldn’t agree more and for me this means closing down Facebook and social media when I am needing to get important stuff done. As these are major distractions and time suckers for me.
Me too, Janine. I find I rationalize hopping onto social media because I think I don’t have enough time to start anything else. However, that isn’t always true. I always get more done when I walk away from my devices:) Still love them, though…
I am constantly getting distracted by things during the day and my work is mainly on my computer. So it is often an email or a notification, or getting sucked into looking at unrelated stuff. Also working at home with my husband means we get distracted by each other as well. I find that working in a cafe or some place not at home is helpful for when I really need to focus.
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I’ve found I sometimes need to get away from my home office because it is in my home – where all of my “other” work is staring me in the face. Libraries can be great because there are few distractions. A cafe sounds lovely, though. Honestly, it is probably a good thing my husband and I don’t work together. I think our different work styles might create some counterproductive moments:)
There are so many distractions here. Many I can’t control but some I could do better on. It is hard to work in the home because there are always phone calls and people coming to the door and as you say you just see everything needing your attention.
It’s good to be aware however.
I have the same struggle, Dianne. I think this can be especially difficult for women, many of whom feel the burden of caring for the home. Sometimes it is just easier to head out to the library or a coffee shop if I really need to focus.
Your photo made me giggle because I got a MacBook Air today and I’ve never had a laptop and I’m all like, “Look I can use this right here on the couch by the fire and not go ALL THE WAY upstairs to use my desktop!”
I hope this doesn’t become a burden. I meant to read tonight in the bath and the laptop caught my eye.
Ah yes, the convenience of the laptop! I frequently pull mine over the kitchen island because I like the view better. It is dangerous that it can travel to the couch. It is so easy to grab and surf that I can actually end up not doing other things I really wanted to do, which is just crazy! At the same time, the MacBook Air is awesome:)
I was working on a challenging project and decided I need a break, so I checked my email. There I saw a notification that you’d commented on my blog, so I responded to it, then popped over to see what you’re up to over here. So I guess you could say I got distracted!
Breaks are important, but maybe I need to make sure they’re focused breaks. 🙂
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Breaks are important, but maybe you need tomorrow’s tip when you take them! (How’s that for a teaser, wink wink!)
Good point! Thank you. 🙂
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