I was listening to Brendon Burchard today in his HPX Life New Year’s program to his members and he was talking about distractions in our life that take valuable time away from us. He said, “thirty minutes of surfing social media each day equals 22 eight-hour workdays over one year.” When I heard that I had to replay the video. Really? That is an amazing piece of information and how many of us spend more time than that?’
Now, I know that many people use social media for their businesses like I do, but I have to admit once I am done with my business postings, I usually do not just leave the site. I know how easy it is to get caught up in looking at everything everyone has posted and before you know it… well I’m sure you can guess way too much time has gone by. This is time that I could have spent doing more productive and needed work.
Research shows that American consumers are now checking their phones an average of 52 times each day, according to the U.S. edition of the 2018 Global Mobile Consumer Survey from Deloitte. This is not using it for calls, it is just checking it for emails, texts, social medial, etc. That is pretty amazing.
Cell phones are just one form of distraction and way that we waste time and there are many to choose from. There is a way to help with distractions to regain some of your time back so you can spend it on more productive or valuable things in your life. Here are four steps you can take to help break the habit of “distractions.”
#1. First, you need to gain clarity and identify what your distractions are. What draws you away from doing what you want or need to be doing? Write them down.
#2. Draft a plan on how you will avoid the distractions and what you will do to focus on your “goal.” For me, I decided to put my cell phone across the room from my desk so I would have to get up and get it.
#3. Set planned breaks during your work so you can refresh and then refocus. For example, if possible, plan to take a 10-minute break each hour. If you are at work and cannot get up every 50 minutes then plan a “one minute” vacation every hour, where you shut your eyes and think about your favorite things and take a few deep breaths to refresh just for 60 seconds. (This really works)
#4. Own what you do. If you waste time and it is upsetting to you because you know you could be doing more productive things that you “really” want, admit it and come up with plan to help you not do it again. I have heard of people who make themselves accountable to others by checking in so they can successfully not waste time.
If you are serious because you are not accomplishing what you really want to, then you need to do what it takes to break the old habits and develop new more productive ones. You will be really happy with yourself when you begin accomplishing what you have wanted.
“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” ― Winston S. Churchill
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