Three external distractions I have and how I address them

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Three months ago, I wrote in my gratitude journal “I get distracted by many things. Most of them are external.”

This is so true. Life is full of distractions. Social media. Cell phones. Other people. Your environment. Just about anything can keep you off kilter.

Do you know what they all have in common? They are all external distractions.

I have external distractions that keep me off task. They are cell phones, my thoughts, and social media. I will describe, in detail, three external distractions that hinder me daily.

Cell phone

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The first one, my cell phone, can be attention-seeking. A notification pops up on my screen. My attention diverts in that direction, and so does my energy. Even text messages can be distracting. Usually, they hold no significance.

It keeps me from doing what I need to be focused on, which is writing-related goals like improving my writing skills.

Social media

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Oh, the sweet sounds of social media can be entertaining. Simultaneously, it can be a demon.

I can become distracted by being on social media. It’s another universe that reels in your focus and keeps you zeroed in on the screen.

For instance, I get warped in the world of Instagram and TikTok. I became engulfed in the short videos.

I always watch something that is a quick high like eating candy or drinking coffee. Quickly, I am thirty minutes in.

I am like many of you who do this precise thing in your lives. It’s my drug of choice when I’m bored.

My internal thoughts

My tumultuous, dirty, and, dreamy thoughts can pull me away from what I need or want to do. I become immersed in these thoughts and then I become distracted.

The tumultuous thoughts are usually negative. They Hilary Edmund my mind like it’s Mt. Everest for too long. And then, I sit there mulling them over in my mind. Most of the time they are limiting beliefs.

The dirty ones are explicit in imagery. It’s just sexual deviant thoughts in my head.

At times, I fantasize about my future. Just me signing books or reading poetry. Also, I want to work at the New York Times, which I will do one day. Mark my words.

Combating distractions

How I deal with each distraction differs. With my cell phone, I try to hide my phone and I tend to forget it’s there. The next step is turning off notifications so I won’t be distracted.

The second one, social media, corresponds with the first one. I’ll forget about social media if I hide my phone somewhere.

My internal thoughts are harder to conquer. This is something I am still working on.

Conclusion

External distractions like social media, your cell phone, or even your thoughts can hold you back from doing what you set on doing.

Maybe it’s either of these things. If they are, don’t let them pull at your head.

Where you can find me?

Writer and Poet | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/principeguityjr/

You can also email me at guityprincipe@yahoo.com