Perfecting The Art Of Distraction
Most Entrepreneurs I know are a distracted bunch. We all seem to have a problem with taking a straight path to problem solving. This is not to be confused with being lazy - i'm talking about active distraction - doing things rather than (what you think) you should be doing.
Our brains don't need to produce thought to work. When your job requires high levels of creativity and energy - its more than normal to be distracted - and usually this distraction is your friend. It allows your brain to do its thing without your consciousness interpreting it and getting in the way.
I have a project to do right now with no deadline. The weather has become nice again and the last thing I feel like doing is sitting on any computer that can't come with me on my hammock - after all - that's why people work from home right?
I can spend an entire week puling weeds, painting rooms, fixing things or watching an afternoon baseball game -anything other than whatever it is that I am working on.
For most people in most careers distraction would be a problem. In my case it has saved me time and again from decisions i'm glad I didn't make. It has become a part of my process. I get introduced to a project or an idea - I get a million ideas - obsess for a few days - get completely distracted for days or weeks with unrelated activities - then I sit down and am able to produce high quality work.
Distraction has a bad reputation - if you are being lazy that's one thing - but if you are solving a problem or starting a project - distraction is your friend.
Some entrepreneurs jump into everything with "two feet" - I think we all have something inside us that wants to do everything RIGHT NOW. Becoming distracted is my brains way of slowing things down so it can catch up!
Next time you cant focus on what you are doing - give into it - you just might surprise yourself with how much more developed your ideas are when you do decide to work on whatever it is you need distraction from.
Ryan Geddes is a writer and entreprenuer located in Toronto Canada. When he's not writing, hes helping with House&Canvas Furniture Paint.
This is right on, @rgeddes. I am extremely entrepreneurial. And I used to be also extremely impulsive. Time and age have helped to settle me some. I've never thought of it as a distraction, but I have definitely learned to step back and assess the situation. Go for a walk. Work in the garden. Read a Psalm. Pray. Wait. It can make such a difference in how well I focus, and how well I process a problem. Thanks for sharing your insight.
If we look at a guy like Da Vinci - we see a ton of unfinished work and a guy who was always restless. He constantly took time off to work on hobbies or do something other than what he was supposed to be doing..
He was what we would call an entreprenuer today - and I think his life is reflective of a lot of our journies.
Hello Norma, thank you for your sharing/advices as well! and I see that you mentioned you're extremely entrepreneurial.
Currently, I have this insanely huge dream. To help entrepreneurs achieve their goals. I want to unite all entrepreneurs/hustlers on Steemit by using this hashtag. #hustlersunite
It is extremely different from just using #hustle or #entrepreneurship because we are creating a closely knitted bunch who will have a long-term interaction with each other instead of a one-off thing. It would be my honor for you to join my discord group if you are keen to support me in this movement :) https://discord.gg/QXNm4f8
Looking forward to having you to join me!
Read the link below to feel my passion!
https://steemit.com/hustlersunite/@darrylnyk/my-hugeass-steemit-objective
Great post! I try and roll with the organized chaos that is my path. By day I juggle operations and growth for 5 companies (job) that are all in the $1-$5M range and growing, homeschool 6 kids, and at night and early mornings I pack and ship alignment shims that I import for OEM's and shops (18 wheeler trucks) across the country.
I started taking my distraction time and pulling together a how to guide that I hope to finish within the next 30-60 days to help people get started. I find that using my distraction time to just rewrite and type out all of the notes I created over the years as I taught myself how to set up corporations, things I've learned sitting on EDC boards with the city, and things I have done that failed really miserably; all help give me the release I need to refocus on my next task.
Keep on keeping on! A rising tide will raise all ships!
You sound like "my version" of entrepreneur - a finger in every pot..
Good luck with the writing..
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I've definitely fallen prey to distractions that are mildly productive (aka: Steem) which only prolong getting around to the real value added activities....