To be successful we need to learn how to control our attention and stay focused. This video will look to help you fight off your distractions by discussing 7 ideas from the book, Indistractable, by Nir Eyal.
kzfaq.info...
Here’s an affiliate link to check out, Indistractable by Nir Eyal: amzn.to/2LfXAPH
1. Plan Ahead
Planning is the only way to tell between traction and distraction. Traction is an action that moves us towards what we really want, while distraction is an action that moves us away from what we really want. For example, exercise is traction if we want lean and healthy bodies while binge eating junk food distracts us from the body we want.
One groundbreaking thing I thought the author said is that the time you plan to waste is not wasted time. So instead of fighting so hard to resist your distractions, you may be better off setting aside time for it.
2. The Root of Distraction
Nir mentions in the book that the drive to relieve discomfort is the root cause of our behavior. We need to address the root cause of what’s causing the distraction or we will find other distractions.
3. 10 Minute Rule
When you tell yourself you can’t do something, it only makes you want to do it more. The idea here is that you’re not saying no to your distraction, you’re saying not yet.
For example, One day I was working and I got a vibrating text message. I wanted to check the message. But I tried the ten minute rule and told myself I could check the message in ten minutes and needed to focus on my work in the meantime. What happened is that I got in such a flow with my work that over ten minutes went by before I checked my phone. Delay giving into your distraction for 10 minutes and see what it does for you.
4. Surf Your Urge
When you fight or suppress an urge it has a way of becoming stronger. So instead, when you feel an urge pulling you towards a distraction, just stay with that feeling and ride it like a wave.
For example, maybe you had a stressful day at work and you’re looking for relief. Instead of engaging in that relief, just allow yourself to feel the stress without judging it or trying to do something to relieve it.
You’ll likely be surprised that your stressful feelings will start to diminish and you may learn that you don’t need to engage in distractions to cope with your stress anymore...you just need to ride out your urge like a wave.
5. Reimagine Your Task
Simply asking how you can make the task more enjoyable can give you some great ideas.
6. Practice Self Compassion
We all give into distraction from time to time, but those who practice self-compassion are more resilient. For example, let’s say someone is mindless scrolling on social media because they are anxious about a big school or work project that's due soon. If they don’t practice compassion they’ll likely beat themselves up and make it harder to refocus.
7. The Power of Precommitments
There were 3 types of precommitments discussed in the book
The first one discussed was an effort pact. This type of pact involves increasing the amount of effort required to perform an undesirable action.
The next type of pact discussed was a price pact. Putting money on the line can encourage us to do what we say we will do. For example, the author practiced what he called the burn or burn method. His pact was he needed to workout, or he would burn a one-hundred dollar bill. The pain of losing $100 motivated Nir to workout and he never burned his money.
And the third precommitment discussed in the book were Identity pacts.
How we view ourselves has so much power because the perception of who we are changes what we do. To tap into the power of our identity we need to be aware of the words we’re using.
The author advises us to call ourselves indistractable. Because as we identify ourselves as not being distracted, we will have an easier time acting in ways that are congruent with how we see ourselves.
The Other Side of Life by Michael Unks-Affiliate Link to Amazon listed below..
amzn.to/2xq2C1c
If you’ve been enjoying the animation style videos I’ve been making then check out the playlist for it!
• Animated Videos
If you’re interested in one-on-one coaching, send me an email at unksmichael@gmail.com
Music credits:
“Even If The Sky is Falling Down,” (Instrumental Version) by Candelion
Exit music:“Valium,” By No Thanks
*obtained from Epidemic Sounds under creator license
If you enjoyed this video..here is the link to share with your friends!
• Indistractable: How to...
Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life