Welcome back! When we started last week we talked about the cost of distractions to our daily lives and potential success. I also shared some sources of distractions in our lives (mine included). Did it strike a chord with you? I hope so.
This week, I want to conclude by sharing a few tips that will guarantee you overcome distractions and retain your focus. Are we ready to go?
I will start by sharing my personal experience. A few months ago I noticed a marked drop in my personal productivity. Normally, I churn out at least three articles weekly with little trouble. But this time I was struggling. I found out that I was also behind the curve of my annual goals. I also discovered that I was straggling in my productivity habits (those habits that feed productivity).
With some self-reflection, I found that for the first time in my life I was totally distracted. Not distracted in the way that one totally takes their entire attention off what matters and instead engages in activities of no relevance. My distraction came from spreading myself too thin. This was my situation. Maybe your own brand of distraction involves taking your focus off your main goals and on things of no relevance. Whatever the diagnosis I believe the medication is somewhat similar.
Related Reading: The Value of Staying Focused
The thing about distraction is that no matter how disciplined you are, distractions will always come up. Everyone battles distractions, some better than others.
I want to share how I tackle my distractions; hopefully you will get a few clues on how to deal with your own distractions, boost your productivity and success.
Step Away From The Funhouse: Have you ever visited a carnival and entered a funhouse with a funhouse mirror? What did you do when you stand before the mirror? You get mesmerized by your image. You move your body, flail your arms, pucker your lips and are totally subsumed by the image you see. The silliest thing about the funhouse is that none of the images on the funhouse mirror are accurate or true. Most times the things we allow distract us are unreal, mundane and inaccurate. More often than not you lose track of time and possibly miss out on other fun activities.
Imagine your life is the carnival; with so much to see and much more to do and experience. Now imagine the funhouse is a distraction. No one tied you up in there, and locked up the door. When you encounter a funhouse in your carnival, what do you do? That’s quite right… you step away. Walk away from the funhouse. Think about what you planned to achieve, what rides you really wanted to experience and allow the power of pursuit give you the impetus to walk away from the distraction called the funhouse.
Stepping away from the funhouse and its fun mirror is an excellent way to step away from the distractions our minds conjure. We limit our brooding melancholia and focus on reality of our ability and blessings
Stop Notification Service: I previously have a notification setting on my email that pops up whenever I receive a new email. I’m sure whoever came up with this notification setting though he was helping people manage their productivity effectively. There is nothing further from the truth. We have these notification settings on everything these days from emails, WhatsApp messages, Social Media mentions, comments and likes and much more.
These notifications are nothing but distractions. They divert your attention from a productive task; holding your mind captive to less important and less urgent pursuits.
Unless absolutely necessary, remove all instant notification settings on your devices – phone, email, social media etc.
Personally, I was able to manage this particular distraction by only checking for new emails, updates or comments a couple of times a day. I actually have a couple of time pockets reserved for responding to emails and engaging with social media. This way I am not living at the whim of my notification service.
Follow One Course Until Successful: Some sage crafted an acronym that I have found so enlightening. This acronym is FOCUS → Follow One Course Until Successful.
I am guilty of this; I have so many unfinished DIY projects at home. Home improvements I started to do, but did not follow through for one reason or the other. For some reason I start with all the best intention but could not focus. I could not follow my one course until successful.
Some of us have business projects we started that had such promise; but we did not follow that project doggedly until it became successful. We lost focus; we were not disciplined.
You know this takes discipline though. So many people have come up with solutions to developing self-discipline; for me I have a weighing system. What I do is weigh my project against my big picture. When I consider the cost (tangible and intangible) I will pay for not following my course until I am successful, it helps me stay focused and overcome distractions.
Also, many times we are unable to get the outcomes we desire (I’m speaking of myself now) because our focus is all over the place. We are juggling far too many projects at the same time, and we spread ourselves too thin. That’s a distraction. We need to learn to follow one course until successful. When you are spread too thin, you cannot give your best to your relationships, business, project and life. In this case the whole is not equal to the sum of its parts. 
Learn to be present in each moment. This isn’t an intuitive skill. You have to learn it. And this skill comes from discipline and self-restraint.
But what does being ‘present in the moment’ mean? It means focusing on one thing at a time; one goal at a time. Being aware of everything around you that can potentially impact your productivity and outcomes. It also means paying attention to [pertinent] details and the people around you. Being present in each moment means you are fully engaged.
Why? You ask? Well, when you are present in the moment you do not miss the cues and deflections that are potentially damaging to your goals. When you are laser focused it’s easier to connect the dots and stay a step ahead anyone running the race with you.
Speaking of people running the race with you; do you know that barely 3 out of 10 people are consistently present in the moment? We live in a world of distractions, and when you are distracted you always end up paying a steep price. Remember the tortoise and the hare.
So, let’s recap. How can we potentially overcome distractions?
- Step away from the funhouse
- Stop notification service
- Follow one course until successful
- Be present in the moment
Obviously this isn’t an exhaustive list. But it’s a good place to start, isn’t it? I personally guarantee you that as soon as you master these disciplines; you will overcome every temptation to be distracted. When you are no longer distracted, you are free to perform and deliver at the highest level of your potential.
Related Reading: How to Overcome the 5 Biggest Distractions at Work and In Life
I’m sure you have some disciplines and methods of banishing distraction from your life that I have not covered here. It will be nice to learn from you and compare notes. You can either comment below or drop me a message here…
