Why Distractions are Actually a Good Thing
Side Bonus: They even help you feel like you have more time.
How can I have more time?
☝🏻That’s probably the question I get the most but, to be honest, I cannot give you more time. Of all the inequalities in our world… time is not one of them. It’s the one thing that’s handed out evenly to every single person.
BUT… I can tell you how to FEEL like you have more time. In this week’s podcast, I actually talk about that, and I share 3 simple steps to make it happen. If you haven’t listened yet, go do that now.
One of the truth bombs I share on in the podcast that might shock you is:
Surprised? It’s true.
Play is essential for our brains, but we tend to undervalue it because it seems silly. We beat ourselves up for wasting time when we could have spent it being “productive.” What’s ironic, though, is that by giving ourselves space to enjoy time, we become more productive. It’s been scientifically proven that when play is incorporated into our days, we see dramatic increases in creativity, attention, and performance.
We want to get rid of the distractions that pull at us and make us feel guilty but allow space and room for the distractions that benefit us.
But I Thought Distractions Are Bad
You’ve heard me say that it takes 23 minutes to recover every time you are interrupted, so when I’m talking about distractions, here… I’m talking about intentional distractions. In other words, free time that isn’t connected to “work” or goals… really anything other than fun.
We all have little things that we find ourselves doing, whether that’s scrolling on our phone or watching a TV show or just mindlessly doing something. We tend to lump them together as “time wasters.” But not every distraction is a time waster, and learning how to spot which ones we need to get rid of and which ones we need to keep is incredibly simple.
Free Time: time we no purpose but enjoyment, it needs to be flexible with NO serious goals
Give yourself a quick check-in. Step back and notice: Is this distraction nourishing or negative? Is it something that’s good for me and allows me to catch my breath, or is it something that keeps me from finding satisfaction in your day? Here’s the secret: only you can decide if an activity is nourishing or negative.
You just have to stop and ask yourself one question:
How do I feel after I finish this?
If you binge two episodes of your favorite show back-to- back, it could be a good distraction or it could be bad. Ask yourself the question and then listen for your own answer. After you’ve finished your mini binge, do you feel good and satisfied? Or do you feel sluggish and irritated? Life is a choose your own adventure, so choose.
If you flip off the TV and think: That was just what I needed. I needed that space to just mindlessly watch something funny, that’s a great distraction!
But if you think to yourself, Agh, I feel worse about myself than I did an hour ago— congratulations, you’ve just discovered a time waster. Let’s jettison that activity and create time for something else— something that actually does make you feel good.
Free Download
It’s not just distractions that help us feel like we have more time. It’s also how we look at our time. On the podcast I share lots of tips, but I also mentioned that I would create a special download to help. Those of you who have Premium Access? This is exclusively for you.