Why Do We Get Distracted?

One excuse keeps coming up…

Last week, I sat down to do some important writing. Poured myself a cup of coffee in my favorite mug. Settled into my chair. Popped on my “get sh*t done” playlist. As I opened that file, I suddenly noticed that my screen was a bit dirty. So I grabbed some wipes…. ok maybe a snack too. Then I started straightening out my books, too.

Sound familiar?

Sometimes, right when we’re about to do meaningful work, we unwillingly distract ourselves. There’s a reason for this: our brain has a natural aversion to facing hard truths, especially about ourselves. We might want something, like something, think something or say something that we’ve been taught is embarrassing or shameful. And when we’re diving deep into that meaningful work, we may subconsciously feel that those big ideas are getting close to the surface.

So we stop to subconsciously avoid and repress that fear and shame. It’s easier to bury it and find something easy and will make us feel productive– like cleaning, organizing, cooking, clipping your nails, etc.

Great work is scary because it might challenge and reveal something about ourselves, but our best work always does. Look: you’re amazing, you’re talented, you’re smart. And you’re capable of so much more than you think.

The Cave can help you sit with those feelings a little more safely and your fellow Cavedwellers are here to help you work through them. (Try and remember that the next time you reach for a screen wipe.)

References: Hidden Brain (NPR), Deepak Chopra

Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regular posts on Medium and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jake Kahana is a cofounder of Caveday. Sign up for his personal emails, called “The Email Refrigerator” here.