Distractions: Indulge? Avoid? A Writer’s Dilemma.
If people ask me what I do, the real answer would be pretty complicated — not in that what I do is hard, but that I’m not always sure how to define it…I think a lot of us — those in my “generation” can say the same.
I have a degree in both PR/marketing and English/professional writing. I’m passionate about keeping up with social media trends and figuring out how to both enjoy and market using these means, effectively. I’ve dabbled in SEO and I’ve become fairly proficient in building webpages that are both functional and appealing. I like learning new things and I have fun trying things that might fall outside of my “element.”
But at my core, I write. I’m a writer. I spend a lot of time trying to take various concepts — sometimes for work, sometimes for fun — and to share them in a way that’s easy-to-digest and engaging for others. When I get time to myself to sit down with a pen and paper (I know, gasp, not a computer), I’m at my best.
As any writer can attest to…this often creates a problem. See, our world is not quiet and distraction free. There are certainly times where we get to break into nature, sit back and create, and times where the clock gods work for us, time seems to slow down and we can create great content in a single stretch that feels like it should have taken days to create, where we get lost in putting together our thoughts and feel truly accomplished at the end of the day.
But, these times are rare.
I started reflecting on this not too long ago.
My house is busy. Between kids running around, endless to-do lists that any human adult can relate to, and an open-door policy (honestly, you never know who is going to walk through our front door!), creating in a distraction-free environment often feels like a pipe dream.
Sometimes though, the unexpected occurrences and happenings, they spur action. I leave conversations with a fresh view on a project I’m working on, a new approach to a challenge that I’ve been mulling over for a few days, or straight up inspiration to get moving on something.
What gives?
I’ve found that I’m far from alone. In fact, if you read through articles on this publication, written by a few of my co-workers, there’s an underlying theme. Sometimes, we draw inspiration from the unexpected, from distractions. Some of the people I get to work with harness the power of a good — purposeful — distraction to become more productive!
Whether those distractions are a call from a co-worker or intentional conversation just to catch up, an office ping-pong game or a walk outside to get a little air, we seem to thrive on certain distractions, while others can feel detrimental and impossible to overcome.
What’s the difference? What makes one distraction helpful, and another project-delaying or even destroying?
I don’t have a definite answer, but I have an idea that I’ve been toying with for some time. What I’ve come up with, is that “it depends.”
Whether a distraction helps push us to the next level, or, takes us back a few steps depends on: our state of mind, whether we’ve been planning for distractions, and how we come back from them.
Here’s what I mean.
Our State of Mind
I’m far from someone who spends much time in meditation. But, I have learned that when I have a clear head — whether after a great run, after some time in a good book or after some personal reflection — more (and generally better) work, gets done.
I think distractions can be handled the same way. If I’m too stressed going into something, then an unexpected visit, task or other event comes up, I’m probably not going to use it to better whatever else I’m working on. Maintaining a balanced state of mind is critical for embracing — and harnessing — distractions.
Planning for Distractions
Alright, by definition, distractions might be difficult to plan for. So, I guess another heading here could be “using time well before distractions take place.”
When I’ve put off a project, or avoided something that’s coming up on deadline, I’m not in a good place to begin with. I haven’t been stewarding my time responsibly, which means distractions are likely to cause distress, rather than inspire creativity.
When, on the other hand, I’ve kept a responsible schedule, tracked out my week with reasonable time built in for breaks — whether expected or unexpected — and have stayed on top of important projects, I’m more likely to embrace distractions, letting them help me recharge, rather than hold me back.
Post-Distraction Management
If I’m in the right place for my top two points, I’m better prepared to get back to whatever I was working for before the distraction crept in.
I love a good walk. I tend to take one in the morning in between my first and second sessions of getting things done. When I come back though, it’s time to get back to business.
If I let the distraction linger, or, start tackling other projects that weren’t necessarily part of the plan for the day, that walk is probably going to hinder my progress for the day. Instead of harnessing the focus that I built up, I’m more likely to waste it, leaving the rest of my day less productive than the ideal.
Again, these are just a few of my thoughts. I think that breaks and purposeful distractions can be a great way to be more productive in the long run, but, can’t let myself live there, as the line is narrow and it’s easy to fall on the wrong side of it.
How about you? How do you handle distractions when working on projects — both professionally and personally? How do you clear you mind to get more done? I’d love to hear!
