Distractions

What do I mean with “Distractions”?

  • Distraction is checking your phone 5 times a day (or more) to see if there is a notification for you at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or any other social media platform.
  • Distraction is checking your phone 5 times a day to see if you have new mail.
  • Distraction is having the TV turned on because otherwise it’s so quiet in the house.
  • Distraction is also starting to watering the plants because the need water now.
  • Distraction is starting to put away the clutter which was there already 3 hours ago.

So in short distraction is everything you use as an excuse to NOT do the work you were planning to do that day. Or simply it makes it impossible for you to finally finish that one thing, which you are trying to finish for days or maybe even weeks.

I am guilty of it. I procrastinate. Big time!! I am working on a webinar for weeks now and it is still not finished. Every time something else “comes up”. At least I know why. That is a start. And I try to do some other useful things like writing this blog. As an excuse.

But the stupid reason I have (I have to add audio and I hate my own voice) doesn’t go away by doing other things. At one point I have to do it. I have to make that audio if I ever wants to find more clients and earn money. I can’t put it off forever.

An other reason why distraction isn’t good is because it cost you a lot of valuable time. Checking social media isn’t that big of a deal, but 9 out of 10 times it’s not just checking. You look at few posts more, make a comment here and there, like a couple of post, etc. Before you know it half an hour or an hour has past. Waste of time….

There are a couple of things which can make life easier for you.

  • Start with turning off these annoying notifications. Really, you can without them.
  • Go sit in a room where you don’t see the mess, the plants, etc.
  • Leave your phone in another room.
  • Set a timer for instance at an hour. That’s the time you have just for your work. No phone at all.
  • Turn off the TV.
  • And if you really want to save a lot of time: Only check your phone once a day. Just at the end of the day and not more. Really, your friends on Facebook will survive if you like their post only at the end of the day!! The world will still be in one piece if you check your email only once a day.

Try it! See for yourself that you will be way more productive if you end your distractions!!