Distractions are the bane of the achiever’s existence. Why? When we get distracted, we change our focus. Our rhythm is disrupted. Our flow is interrupted. If you’re in the Zone, one of the worst things is for someone to drop by your desk, office or wherever you’re “Zoning” and strike up a conversation. In the middle of that flow of constant, good results you’ve got going.
It’s happened to everyone of us. Me. You. The big gurus. CEOs, Moms. Dads. College students. Even kids playing a video game racking up kill after kill after kill. In each case your focus changes. It takes a few seconds to refocus on the person in front if you doesn’t it? You have to make an effort to switch gears to what they’re saying and recall the relevant details or meaning.
What happens after the distraction is gone?
It’s nearly impossible to get back into the Zone where work seems effortless and enjoyable. You might be angry at the interruption. Maybe you forgot what you were doing. Perhaps you lost your train of thought. You can’t get comfortable in your chair again. It might be the worst feeling to struggle get back to the Zone. Sometimes we can’t, and we just give up and move on. If we have a deadline and have to keep working, how often have you felt like your results weren’t as good as they should’ve been?
Those are the negative distractions. What about the positive distractions?
Yes, positive distractions.
Ever been in a bad mood? Angry? Depressed? Maybe just physically exhausted? These almost the exact opposite of being in that state of flow or in the Zone.
Ever had something happen that just totally changed your focus and made you happy? Or gotten excited or just energized? Of course. We all have.
Maybe a song came on the radio, and you think of better times or get caught up in the music and the lyrics. Perhaps you get a call. Old friends are in town that you’ve not seen in years. You find out you’re pregnant after years of trying.
Even if it’s just for a few minutes, you’ve been distracted from your negative state. If it’s a good enough distraction, it’s nearly impossible to reproduce that negative state on demand, just like it’s so hard to reproduce being in the Zone. Sometimes we just decide to get out of our funk and do it ourselves.
Self-distraction.
You’ve done that before. I know I have. The first time I ever did it was in college. I was really depressed. All at once I decided I was sick of it and decided to be in a positive mood. I got up. I felt physically and mentally charged. I wanted to do things. I wanted to get out and move!
I distracted myself from my depression. It was a positive distraction.
Anyone can do this. It’s a matter of deciding and doing. We decide and do all day long. We decide what to focus on or ignore. Then we do something about it. The more we decide to focus on and do on positive things, the closer we get to the Zone. It’s not just flipping a mental switch. That’s hard to do every time. But it can be as easy as getting up and moving, calling someone on the phone or going somewhere that gives you joy.
You have to change your mental and physical state. Do something different with your thinking or your actions. The best positive distractions include both. When you’re moving, it’s harder to be in a negative mood. When you’re thinking about positive things, you want to get up and move.
Remember, it’s OK to distract yourself. As long as it’s a positive distraction.
