How Shiny Object Syndrome Halts Productivity for Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs Prone to Distractions Despite Research on the Ineffectiveness of Multi-tasking
Let’s be honest. Today, nobody is immune to squirrel chasing or the gravitational pull towards shiny objects. A hundred years ago, heck, thirty years ago, life looked different.
Right now, if you Google (a word not yet invented thirty years ago) “windows,” the first definition says: a computer operating system with a graphical user interface.
Thirty years ago, the only definition for windows was an opening in a wall or vehicle fitted with transparent material to let in light or air.
Back then, phones had cords instead of the Swiss army-like devices we carry around with us everywhere we go.
We are surrounded by distractions in the form of social media, texts, email, and newsfeeds. We multitask ourselves into an unproductive stupor, never really accomplishing anything.
With this new world of distraction comes new ailments, one being Shiny Object Syndrome (SOS).
Multi-tasking is a Myth: Tell That to an Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs seek innovation, efficiency, and new ideas, making them especially susceptible to distractions. Often a one-person shop, they strive to keep up with the competition. All of these characteristics lead to a prime breeding ground for Shiny Object Syndrome.
Many studies have shown multi-tasking does not work. Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin speaks about the threat of information overload. He reasons that instead of juggling multiple projects at once, we should focus on one individual project at a time or mono-tasking.
Productivity becomes a coveted desire with today’s lure of distractions. Yet they keep tempting us.
Within the last ten years, the coined acronym FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) caught traction. FOMO fuels our need to constantly check our phone or computer for any incoming messages or Tweets. This dysfunctional behavior is counterproductive for anyone running a start-up or small business.
Solutions for chronic distraction, or SOS, litter the worldwide web, so I will not provide a top ten list of ways to tackle Shiny Object Syndrome here.
Instead, I’ll present the symptoms leading to SOS, the detrimental side effects, and how to treat SOS, helping you succeed as an entrepreneur.
Shiny Object Syndrome: Symptoms
- Your phone/tablet/device never leaves your side. You sleep, shower, sh*t, eat, or even have sex with your phone never more than 2 feet away. We all are slightly guilty of checking our phone, but checking every 10 minutes is detrimental to your productivity.
- Constantly refreshing newsfeeds/social media. If you refresh newsfeeds or media more than a few times a day (not an hour), this is a prime symptom of SOS. Scrolling, scrolling, scrolling…
- Count your browser tabs. Your computer bogs down from application or memory overload. Too many tabs (more than two or three) open in your browser window can be a symptom, especially if many of them don’t relate to each other.
- Inefficient use of time. The day flies by with multiple projects started but few completed. This symptom is classic SOS.
Shiny Object Syndrome: Side Effects
- Loss of customers. Due to all the multi-tasking, minutes become hours, hours become days, and your business only makes minor improvements or neglects customers. Customers or clients move on to another organization.
- Reduced productivity. At the end of the day, you don’t produce tangible results or products. Just a bunch of half-completed products…
- Incomplete projects/products. Loss of productivity means those projects never get done. Poor time management can lead to incomplete work.
- Frustration. Because of fleeting focus, frustration levels rise making productivity even more challenging. Having an overwhelming fear of failure because nothing got accomplished.
As entrepreneurs, you tend to seek the next helpful business tip, always on the hunt. If you step away to just do a quick look at your email, it ends up costing you more time.
According to a study by the University of California, distraction leads to a loss of 23 minutes and 15 seconds each time we switch tasks.
This loss of productivity seeps into your day, and instead of a solid focused hour, you get fractured attention leading to no real output.
How do you make it stop? Discipline for one. You can also treat SOS with a few of the remedies below.
Shiny Object Syndrome: Treatment
Instead of a laundry list of ideas, a few changes can lead to positive results.
- Schedule Short Breaks. Work consistently for an hour without looking at social media, websites, or even taking a restroom break. Keep at it and then treat yourself for a 10 or 15 minute break. On this break, don’t follow the Facebook rabbit trail or anything requiring challenging mental focus.
Research shows the different types of multi-tasking make a difference. Obviously, autopilot tasks like doing laundry, using the restroom, or grabbing a snack require little effort. However, reading in-depth articles, writing a different blog post, or other activities pulling from the same cognitive part of the brain, depletes both tasks.
Conversely, quick fractured distractions like social media or checking emails are fleeting, quick switches, leading to ineffective use of brainpower — they get you out of the thinking zone.
“When eating an elephant take one bite at a time”
–Creighton W. Abrams, Jr., USA
- Set Mini-Goals. One bite at a time. I often fail at this one because my eyes focus on the big prize. Start with, one mini-goal. (I.e. one post on my blog this week). If you try to tackle a big goal, naturally you’ll feel overwhelmed leading to self-critique, anxiety, and stress.
- Remove Distractions. Start small by putting your phone in another room for a few hours. Tap into distraction-free apps or tools. Only allow one tab to be open at a time.
Starting or running your own business takes a considerable amount of brainpower. Letting distractions lead to Shiny Object Syndrome hampers your productivity.
Okay, Mr. or Ms. Entrepreneur, you know the symptoms, side effects, and treatments to address the Shiny Object Syndrome problem. Now go forth and focus. One thing at a time.
