Did you know that on average you get distracted 50-60 times a day, with about 20% of those distractions costing you 23 minutes of lost productivity? That’s four precious hours wasted daily!
Imagine what you could do with your day if you could use those four hours instead of being unintentionally distracted. You could get more work done. You could get better work done. Or hell, you could just intentionally take the time off to not get any work done – and instead indulge in what matters to you – spending time with family, reading an interesting book, chatting with an old friend.
Unfortunately, many people think their biggest distractor is their phone, and their notifications.
People are wrong.
Your biggest distraction is YOU.
Say you are in total isolation. In a black box of sorts. You’d THINK you would have zero distractions. But your mind will have another plan for you.
- Boredom
- Self doubt
- Perfectionism
- Procrastination
- Fear of rejection
All these mental blocks keep busting your focus. So, throwing your phone out of the window will be of little help.
These mental blocks occur due to one or a combination of four specific psychological and physiological triggers. Once you learn what these triggers are, you can overcome your distractions in a fool-proof manner:
Trigger 1: Your Emotions
Imagine feeling overwhelmed with anxiety or frustration while trying to concentrate on a task—it’s like trying to drive with the emergency brake on. When I recognize that I am feeling negative about a certain task, I pause and find the cognitive root cause. Why am I feeling negative? Is it my lack of experience? Or a previous bad experience? Here are some tips to stay present and calm when negatively triggered:
- Reframe the task as an opportunity for growth and learning.
- Remind yourself of previous wins for similar tasks.
- Seek support and/or a task buddy to help you move forward with confidence.
Trigger 2: Your Environment
Your environment is your physical surroundings as well as people around you. Trying to concentrate with visual and auditory ‘noise’ is like trying to meditate at a rock concert. Dealing with people around you, especially if they’re micromanaging or overly present, is like trying to thread a needle with a thousand eyes watching.You could feel self-doubt and a fear of rejection. Do this instead:
- Switch workspaces as needed to refresh your focus and keep your phone out of sight.
- When in a crowded place, use noise-canceling headphones with white noise or music.
- Set boundaries with people – negotiate for pre-set periodic check-ins rather than constant presence.
Trigger 3: The Time of Day
By mastering your emotions and optimizing your environment, you’re already well on your way to unlocking your full potential. But it’s the strategic timing of your tasks that can truly elevate your focus to new heights. Just as a surfer waits for the perfect wave, you can ride the wave of your circadian rhythm to achieve peak performance. Here is how to align your tasks with your body’s natural energy levels:
- Discover your peak cognitive hours, and schedule demanding tasks then. Blocking this time also helps overcome perfectionism by setting clear task limits.
- Reserve low-energy periods for less demanding activities, such as responding to less urgent emails or organizing your workspace.
- Take regular breaks to recharge with physical movement to prevent burnout and maintain a steady flow of focus throughout the day.
Trigger 4: The Pre-Task Prep
Imagine you’re gearing up for a race. You wouldn’t just show up at the starting line without warming up or stretching, would you? Similarly, preparing yourself mentally and physically before diving into a task can significantly impact your focus and performance. For some people, it is a morning routine – workout, meditate, coffee and then focus. Here are some tips to create your own ‘focus ritual:
- Experiment with consistent routines like exercise, meditation, deep breathing, or music to find what primes you to focus after.
- Create grounding cues like flipping an hourglass, lighting a candle, or filling up your favorite mug with a beverage to signal the start of focus time and beat procrastination.
- Break down tasks into actionable steps to maintain momentum and clarity on goals.
It goes without saying that willpower is a limited resource. The more energy you consume to beat distraction, the lesser you have left.
Here’s what I want to leave you with:
Rather than choosing a mundane task and trying to get rid of your distractions, –
Go find a task that naturally commands every ounce of your attention.
Go find a task that you not only love but can do it in the WAY YOU LOVE to do it.
Go find a task that gets you in the zone.
Go find your flow.
Then don’t let go.
