Distraction Is So Easy
It’s hard to stay focused and live in the present. Distraction brings immediate dopamine and temporary joy, and dammit, it’s so easy. Remain focused on what you say matters to you.
The Cycle of Distraction and the Trough of Disillusionment
I’ve been in one of those cycles of distraction where it seems like my brain is doing everything in its power to shift my focus away from what I’ve decided is important or essential, and towards something else entirely. The cause? I’m not entirely sure. Meditation helps, but the slipstream of this force is strong, and I feel it pulling me away toward the unessential. At some point in the spiral, I realize what I’m unconsciously doing and pull up hard on the steering wheel, but not without some wasted energy, time, and some regret.
Where does my mind go?
Projects at work (but the quick wins, not the longer-term valuable ones)
Fantasies about the spring cycling season and time spent on quiet gravel roads
The desire for some new bike kit, hat, jacket, workout trend, supplement, et al that I saw on Instagram (the algorithm has me pegged)
A new wellness optimization idea I heard on a podcast (even though I know what works well for me already)
You know that dog from the movie Up? Yep, that’s me when I drift away from center and forget what I’m working towards at home, work, and personally.
Getting Back on Track
I have many methods for settling and finding balance, many of which I’ve written about recently. But the one practice that has always brought me back to the center when I’ve been feeling this way comes from Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and that is his approach to Weekly Planning.
You can definitely scroll down to my summary bullets, but do come back to watch the full 7 min video when you have a chance - it’s worth it.
The concept of Weekly Planning is simple
Make sure you have your mission (or for me, Purpose) dialed in and know what your Primary Objectives are, and list them out on a piece of paper - these are your Big Rocks if you’re familiar with that concept.
At the end of the weekend (or for me, first thing Monday AM), take that list and also write out the Roles you will play for the week - for me that includes: Individual, Husband and Father, Leader of My Team, Mentor, Volunteer, Coach.
For each of the Roles, list the primary Goals for each Role - this is where I get tactical with my priority “to-dos” for the week.
Finally, when I’m sure I’ve captured everything, I put those specific items on my calendar - effectively taking them from a list of to-do items to a specific action plan of when I will accomplish my goals.
From my experience, the to-from shift is immediate and powerful. I’ve proactively aligned what is most important for me, personally and professionally, with the time in the week I have to make it happen. I’m focused on my Purpose and what puts me in the zone, and I get more done with fewer things slipping through the cracks.
When I’m doing this consistently, I am locked in in the right way and I’m better for myself and for others - back to Purpose!
Get Started - Here is PDF Copy of my Weekly Planning Template that you’re free to download and use as a starting point, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever want to talk through how you can make this process your own.
Time to Disconnect
I have been oscillating between using social media and avoiding it entirely now for the past three years. I’m not sure if it causes the distraction or if it’s the place my mind goes to find it. Facebook has been gone entirely for that time period, but I go in waves of paying attention to Instagram and Twitter, and I know I’ve had enough when I start to feel this unsettled distraction, and a desire for more things that I don’t need (clothes, bikes, ideas, experiences, etc.) takes up more real estate in my brain - again, the algorithms know me well. When that begins to happen I know it’s time to disconnect again, probably not forever, but maybe? Definitely long enough to recalibrate to my baseline and focus on what it is I’m really trying to do.
Thanks for reading - stay focused, my friends!
Paul
Plan. Progress. Grace. Move Forward.
What I’m fueling with right now
Food: Colombian Red Bean Frijoles (vegan) with Basmati rice, made in bulk by my sister-in-law’s aunt. I’ve seriously had this one and sometimes two times a day for the past week, and I’m almost out, which is a major problem!
Newsletter: James Clear’s 3-2-1 (author of Atomic Habits), I highly recommend everyone subscribes to this one.
Good stuff, Paul. On the subject of "is social media the distraction or the place you go to be distracted" I think there's so much interesting information coming out around focus and dopamine, and the social media is acting as both the cause of the pain and the temporary pain killer for dopamine disregulation.
There's a current TikTok trend (ironic I know) about "low dopamine mornings." It's intended as an ADHD management strategy and you essentially try to maintain low dopamine levels for as long as possible in the morning. That mostly includes no screen/social media time, and a variety of other slow morning routine habits like exercise and even delaying coffee in the morning. Skipping my morning scroll before my workout and delaying coffee until after that has given me pretty dramatic results thus far in terms of sustained focus throughout the day. Also recommend listening to Andrew Huberman's dopamine episode if you haven't.
Loving your content, thanks for sharing. Started from the bunker now we here! ;)