Less Distraction

In Part 1, I shared some tips for letting go of unnecessary “stuff” in your life. In this second part of “Less, Less, More,” it’s all about something else that you could use less of: distractions. In this post, I’ll share some ideas for eliminating and managing electronic and human distractions. Let’s start with technology.

Minimizing Electronic Distractions

Everyday you are bombarded with information. Email, text messages, Facebook, voicemail, apps, notifications, Twitter, phone calls–the list goes on. How do you manage to get anything done with the constant demand for your attention? When it comes to technology, I like to use the three D’s to help: disappear, detach, or disconnect.

1. Disappear – This method is for information that adds absolutely no value to your life but that you have little control over (think spam, for example). Rather than giving it your daily attention, just make yourself hidden. Doing so requires setting up a system, which does take some time up front. The good thing is, once the system is set up, you’re all set. Need an example?
• Email – There’s a way for you to never see another spam message again. How? First, get a gmail account. Gmail is great at blocking spam from reaching your inbox. But if you really want to make sure you don’t see any spam, here’s a better suggestion: set up a second gmail address just for online activities, for example johnqonline@email.com. Use the second “junk” address for suspect services that don’t have an anti-spam policy because they will sell your email address. If they spam you, who cares…you never have to see the messages because you never have to log in. Simple.
2. Detach – Another method for reducing distractions is to detach from them. There’s no better example for this than the cell phone. Thanks to Apple, the smartphone has become the new computer. Walk down the street, ride the subway, sit in a restaurant and you’ll notice how many people around you seem to have an electronic extension of their hand that emits a bright light and funny chirping noises. We’re constantly connected…but we don’t have to be.
• Turn it off – It’s so easy to get addicted to checking your phone for new messages every 20 minutes. Do yourself a favor and turn it off. This simple act will help you disrupt your phone attachment. You may have to start small at first, maybe just turning it off for a few minutes each day, but gradually you should try to go for longer periods without constant connection. Get reacquainted to life without notifications.
3. Disconnect – When it comes down to it, there are some distractions that we simply need to unplug from entirely. You’ve probably done this during vacations, but why stop there? If you find that something is more of a distraction than an aid to your productivity, let it go. Losing chunks of your life to Facebook? Delete it. Smartphone won’t stop beeping? Disable email and text notifications, better yet don’t even set up email on your phone. The point is, you have a choice.
• My Facebook Story - Some of you may have noticed that I don’t link to Facebook on Liv Simpl. Why? Because I don’t have a Facebook account. I used to, until I realized two things: One, I was spending too much time on FB, using it as a procrastination tool and, two, I began to manage my friendships via Facebook, rather than in person. So I stopped. I deleted my FB account and haven’t looked back. You know what happened? My friends and I started calling each other again. Other than that, nothing.Why am I telling you this? Not to impress you with evidence of my anti-social tendencies , no I’m telling you this to remind you that you choose what and how information enters your life. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that.

Managing Human Distractions

Now, what about the human distractions in your life? While it may seem callous to think about human beings as distractions, the truth is there are times when you need to focus and get stuff done without being interrupted. The answer? Create a schedule. Work from home? Then you also need a family agreement.

1. Create a schedule - What do effective corporate executives, artists, and work-from-home parents all have in common? They schedule their most productive hours during times when there are minimal distractions. Some start early, others work late. The key is to find a schedule that works for you and stick to it.
2. Make a family agreement - But what if you have a family? You can still create your own personal schedule that works with your family’s schedule, but you need something else: an agreement. Whether it’s morning exercise or creative time, you need your family to be on board if it’s going to work. If you have a spouse or partner, they can help monitor the kids to minimize the noise. If you have older children, explain to them why you need to take some time for yourself–you’d be amazed at how much children understand. Honestly, I don’t have children, so I don’t know all the ins & outs, but I’m sure some of you have perfected the art of productivity and family life. Hopefully, you’ll share some of your expertise with the rest of us!
3. Put up a sign – It may sound overly simplistic or a little cold, but signs can help keep unwanted interruptions out. If you work in an office with a door, posting a simple sign when you’re in a meeting or don’t want to be disturbed can work wonders. Just be sure to add a note telling people how to contact you if it’s really important.
4. Use your out of office autoresponder – If you work virtually, you need a different kind of “sign.”Use Microsoft Outlook? If so, then let me share a secret with you: When you have a ridiculous amount of work on your plate and can’t afford to deal with email or calls, set up an out of office notification that says just that. Make it respectful, concise and honest–people will not only appreciate the gesture, they will chuckle because they can identify.
5. Learn to say no - I’m going to keep this short and sweet. One, you will burn out if you try to do everything. Two, if someone asks you a yes or no question, you are wholly within your rights to say no. In fact, they’ve given you license to do so. So stop feeling bad about it. Instead, simplify your life by taking advantage of it. Have trouble saying no? Practice with small things. The more you do it, the better you’ll become.

We all have responsibilities in our lives, be it family, work or community. In no way should we view the people and causes we care about as a distraction. But there are interruptions, interruptions that we need to reduce so that we can accomplish all that we set out to do. Hopefully the ideas in this article will help. I don’t pretend to know all the answers, though, that’s why I invite you to join the discussion and share ways you reduce distraction to get things done.

Photo Credit: distractions | Conor | CC BY-SA 2.0

distractions, human, interruptions, technology