Editor’s Note: This is a post in the series, Simplicity in Action.
Beverly
With more information available to the average person than ever before, it is no wonder that we are distracted.
At work it can take the form of :
- Deadlines others have deemed emergencies
- Phone calls
- Long emails
- Unproductive meetings
What form does distraction take? In my personal life, distraction takes the form of:
- Book reviews
What is the harm of distraction, though? Isn’t it simply a way to let off steam, to rest from working hard, to chill? Doesn’t distraction give me a way to connect with others?
Perhaps distraction can do that. But more often, distraction prevents me from focusing on what really matters:
- my family
- my students’ success
- my creative work
- my physical goals
- my business
When I finally defined what really matters to me–rather than keeping a vague notion in my head–by writing a list with reasons, it became easy to let go of the distractions.
Instead of posting to Facebook and poring over the feeds of acquaintances, I make a date with a friend to meet and talk meaningfully about our lives.
Instead of lusting after things I don’t need on Pinterest, I enjoy my plenty by cooking a great meal with my husband.
Instead of reading endless book reviews, I savor a book and take notes, allowing myself to explore new ideas.
Instead of engaging with emails about seventy-two ways to be a better writer, I write my novel.
As I examine my life and identify the distractions, I am better able to let go and use that distracted time to create the life I want.
Read more from Beverly at PoMo Golightly and follow her on Twitter.
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Hi Beverly, I’ve been thinking along the same lines, so your article was a great encouragement to quit “wasting” my time and start living toward my goals. I think I have adult ADD, ha, so getting distracted is way too easy. Onward, forward! Thanks for a very helpful piece of writing!
Thanks for your feedback, Kathy! I am so easily distracted, too. It is such a gift to myself when I clear away that mental clutter! I’m sure you’ll make great progress towards your goals! xx
Hi Beverly,
I love your essential message that it really helps to define what really matters to us. And, I had to really smile at this point: “Instead of engaging with emails about seventy-two ways to be a better writer, I write my novel.” The same could be said about blogging and many other areas where we could read endless to become better instead of actually doing the work!
I unsubscribed to a lot of writing newsletters when I realized I should be WRITING, not reading them! Thanks for commenting, Sandra! xx
Beverly. Great piece. I’m going to take some time to talk these ideas over with my fiancé. I see elements for both of us to consider in your article.
Thanks for challenging me.
Mark
Thanks, Mark. I would love to hear how you and your fiance move away from distraction!
Yes, if we no have more time to live, we will need ask everyday that what I will do if I have no more time that mean with my life? Sometime that hard to find answer but necessary to do. Other hand we should live enjoy with moment with everything happen in our life, always is great time to grateful life and things we have own and do something more to done things we want.
The balance you’re talking about is so important–what do we want to have done, what do we enjoy doing?
Beverly,
Thank you so much for this timely post! I am working on living a more intentional life and not being swayed from my course by every shift of the wind. This post provided encouragement and some added things to mull over.
Hi Leah,
I’m so glad you feel encouraged. When I keep focused on what is important to me, I’m so much happier with how I spend my minutes, hours, days!
Beverly
A more intentional life, yes, sounds great! Ever since I retired, that’s what I do…and don’t manage to achieve! I wonder though whether we are destined as a species to procrastinate, isn’t that a fundamental tendency in our make-up? It’s a way to find new tings, new ideas…serendipity!
Distractions, sometimes my life feels like it’s all about removing them, but there are so many now. I find our world “too much” in every way and anythign which helps me reconnect with what matters most is the direction I want to head. Thank for the post always great to read things which resonate. X