Distractions pursue us daily. Distractions kill passion and lead to chaos!
Simple tasks lead to distractions: reading an email, researching an article, or checking your social media. Why are we so easily distracted?
I noticed recently that I get distracted effortlessly—a case in point. Today, I had a folder named “08 XXXX,” which I deleted from OneDrive last week. The task is done, right? Well, the silly folder is still there. I cannot access any of the information, but the folder is still there. This drives my OCD tendencies crazy! The folder will not be deleted. I even searched Google for the elusive solution.
Distractions are everywhere. I review my email and find myself researching something that caught my eye. Hmmm, that looks interesting. Is it on my three things to get done for the day list…NOPE!
Today, let’s talk about distractions and ways to conquer them!
Here are three thoughts to provoke you, two ideas to inspire you, and one item to act on!
Three Thoughts to Provoke
Number One. The Limited Resource
Did you know that attention is a limited resource? Research has shown that it uses glucose and other metabolic resources.
Dr. David Rock says,
“Studies show that each task you do tends to make you less effective at the next task, and this is especially true for high-energy tasks.”
Dr. David Rock
We often feel that our attention span is limitless and that we can just keep absorbing information. That is not the case!
Number Two. Info-Mania
In 2005, New Scientist reported that “Info-mania dents IQ more than marijuana.” What an eye-catching headline! The article described volunteers who were asked to solve problems in a quiet environment versus bombardments of unanswered emails and calls. Researchers found that attention was significantly disturbed.
The average drop in IQ? 10 points!
Number Three. Surge Capacity
In August and September, I received a link to Tara Haelle’s article, Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted – It’s Why You Feel Awful from several sources.
Tara describes how we used our surge capacity in the first months of the pandemic. Usually, you have an emergency, use your surge capacity, and then have time to recover. With the pandemic, it just goes on and on.
Psychologist Ann Masten says,
“The pandemic has demonstrated both what we can do with surge capacity and the limits of surge capacity.”
Psychologist, Ann Masten
Two Things to Inspire
Number One. Grace
Give yourself some grace! Yes, I am going there again. We talked about grace a few weeks ago, but we must be reminded AGAIN!
The definition of Grace is,
“a quality of moving in a smooth, relaxed, and attractive way.”
A dancer may seem to have effortless grace, but that grace is only gained through countless hours of practice, numerous wrong moves,
– Lisa Olinda
and self-correction.
Grace is not about backing off! Grace is about digging in, changing, and powering ahead!
Number Two. Resource Management
Remember the first point in Three Thoughts to Provoke? We have finite resources. Last week, we learned about building margin into our day. The next step would be to have a cycle where we put blinders on. The first step is to turn off email and phone calls.
“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.”
Simon Sinek
Your Action Item – Build Your Passion
You can overcome distractions by focusing on the best use of the finite amount of resources you have. Today, let’s focus on your passion and how to expand it. Your passion may be your side hustle. Maybe it is your weekend hobby. Whatever your passion, ensure you preserve some of your resources to indulge. Distractions need grace, but moving past the distractions helps build up that muscle memory and get you back on track.
