How do you manage your distractions?

Daniel Goleman once said, “One way to boost our willpower and focus is to manage our distractions instead of letting them manage us”.

Who else thinks this is easier said than done?

You? Great!

I’m so glad it’s not only me!

When we first realised the extent of Covid, in early 2020, I remember thinking thank goodness this didn’t happen twenty years ago. How would we have managed without smartphones, fast internet access, low-cost home computers and videoconferencing??

The technology we have access to today is remarkable and it has come a long way in such a short time. Most of us carry around a small TV studio in our pockets, enabling us to create and consume whatever we want, with the press of a button or a tap on a screen.

However, with these advantages comes disadvantages.

Most of us are more distracted than ever.

Which begs the question – is technology a tool or a distraction or both?

And how can we make it work for us?

When it comes to tech, it's designed to be addictive.

Adam Alter, in his book Irresistible, talks about how smartphones, other devices and apps are deliberately designed to be addictive. He mentions that Steve Jobs wouldn’t let his kids use an iPad, despite believing everyone should own one. And that Bill Gates placed a cap on screen time when his daughter started developing an unhealthy attachment to a video game or let his kids have a mobile phone until they turned 14. This is because they knew these products were designed to be addictive. The engineers and researchers they hired to develop their products studied addictive behaviour and they know how to persuade us to use their products for hours, days, and weeks at a time.

Is it any wonder that so many of us find it hard to safeguard our attention? 

According to Nir Eyal, in his book Indistractible, we will always find ways to be distracted if we don't want to do something, so it is important that we find reasons to focus and set ourselves up for success.

Eyal suggests four strategies:

1. Master internal triggers. Understand that most distractions begin from within and are due to uncomfortable feelings like anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. Work out what you need to do to cope with these feelings in a healthy way.
   

2. Make time for traction. Plan your day, so you have control over it. I’m a fan of the idea that things are unlikely to happen unless they are in my calendar. If someone else manages your work calendar (for example, your assistant), then talk about what you want it to look like so you can have time for the important work. Can you block out time, so you’re not always in meetings?
   
   If you’re working from home one or two days a week, can these be the days you do the deep work that requires more thought and fewer distractions? And use the days in the office to focus on collaborative projects and building relationships with your colleagues, your team and your boss?
   

3. Hack back external triggers. Start by turning off the notifications on your devices. Remove apps that aren’t necessary or that you can use on your computer and put your phone into greyscale. A massive amount of stress and overwhelm disappeared from my life when I took Facebook and email off my phone. Even removing email on weekends and holidays can make a positive difference.
   

4. Prevent distraction with pacts. Make precommitments by removing future choices to prevent distractions. Try an app to limit how much time you can spend on social media or talk regularly with an accountability buddy to hold you on track with your goal.

What do you do to prevent distractions? I’d love to know.