10 Terrible Distractions That May Ruin Your Life
Learn how to avoid distractions by possible solutions
Are you struggling to focus on your work?
You’re not alone. In today’s world, it’s more complicated than ever to stay focused on one task for an extended period. That’s because there are so many distractions competing for your attention. They ruin your life.
But what if I told you that there was a way to overcome these distractions and achieve success? It’s true!
Here, I will discuss 10 terrible distractions that may be preventing you from achieving success and possible solutions.
1 . Television and Video Games:
Limit screen time. Turn off the TV when you’re not watching it, or put on headphones, so you can’t hear what’s happening in the show.
Have a no-video games rule during homework hours at home (even if they aren’t yours).
The same goes for cell phones — keep them out of sight while working, and set specific times each day when they will be available to use again.
If necessary, lock up all screens until after your work is done!
2 . Social Media and Texting:
Limit screen time and social media usage by setting boundaries around how much time you spend per day.
It could be simple to turn off notifications when you need to focus on something.
Make these rules clear and enforce them consistently. So that your mind doesn’t wander into the trap where it feels like getting distracted will always lead to success. If not, those habits will become harder than ever before.
3 . Surfing and Scrolling:
Web surfing is one of the most accessible distractions because it’s always right there in front of you.
But if you’re honest with yourself, nothing good ever comes out when someone gets immersed in an internet wormhole for hours on end (and yet this continues to happen over again).
“If you’re scrolling mindlessly or letting yourself be spun up on negativity, I think it’s bad for your mental health. I think it’s bad for the people around you.” — Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple
The best way around this distraction would be setting up boundaries, such as limiting how often you use the internet or putting devices away during designated times. So that you aren’t tempted to start browsing the web when you’re bored.
4 . Information Overdose:
Everywhere you can hear the news. This information comes in many ways, such as on television and social media platforms. People get too much information without proper filters and processes.
The solution for this is to set a time frame for getting news every day. And try to avoid unverified sources of information as much as possible because they are often fake or highly biased towards one side over another.
It is also helpful to have a small system where you and someone else agree to share articles or news stories to get different perspectives on the same event.
That way, you’re not just getting your information from one source and are more likely to be able to make an informed decision.
5 . Noise:
Background noise can be a huge distraction. Especially if you can’t control something you can’t control, such as people are talking or construction going on outside your window.
In this case, earplugs might be the answer to keep yourself from getting sidetracked by the extra sounds in the environment.
If that doesn’t work, try finding a quiet place to work — even if it means working from home some days, so you can avoid any and all distractions.
5 . Lack of Sleep:
A lack of sleep is one of the biggest distractions because it affects your mood, energy, and focus.
Sleeping is essential because it allows your brain to process information and consolidate memories from the day. It also helps to stabilize your emotions and regulate your moods.
If you don’t get enough sleep, it’s more challenging to focus and stay productive. Make sure to get enough rest each night so that this doesn’t happen again!
6 . Lack of Motivation:
It’s easy to get distracted when you don’t have a clear idea of what needs to be done next. Especially if it seems overwhelming or unimportant compared with other things around us right now.
So make sure every day starts off with some sort of plan, which includes making lists throughout the week (even if they only have one or two items). These lists should be specific enough so that when you look at them, there’s no doubt in your mind about what needs to get done ASAP.
You’ll also want these tasks broken down into smaller steps to not overwhelm yourself right off the bat. But still, know where exactly you’re heading towards; it may take some time before reaching those goals!
7 . Phone Calls:
This is another obvious distraction that many people don’t think about until they’re already on their phone call and can’t hear what’s being said.
The best way to avoid this would be setting boundaries, such as putting devices away during designated times. So that all calls go straight through voicemail if necessary, or even having a landline just for urgent stuff and keeping the cell phone turned off.
Practice managing your phone, and not allow the phone to control you. If you do this, the surrounding people will change for you. Otherwise, if people perceive that you are always accessible, they might bother and distract you from your aim.
8 . Email:
Checking email can be a huge distraction. If you’re constantly getting notifications for new messages (or worse yet — opening up your email and seeing that there are dozens of unread emails). The best way to get around this is by setting specific times to check email, such as twice a day or only during designated break hours.
If possible, try not to check your email first thing in the morning when you’re still trying to get settled into your workday routine!
Research done by Dr. Glenn Wilson in 2005 at London’s Institute of Psychiatry found that persistent interruptions and distractions at work had a significant impact. People who were distracted by emails and phone calls saw their IQ go down by 10 points. This is twice the amount found in studies on the impact of smoking marijuana.
9 . Tasks You Hate:
It’s easy enough not to get distracted by tasks you hate, but if you’re honest with yourself, some things just need doing no matter what!
While it may seem like a good idea at first glance, if these activities keep happening every day, your productivity will eventually suffer.
Also, there’ll be nothing left for yourself.
So how do you find the task you love? The answer is simpler than you might think — it’s all about trial and error. You’ll need to experiment with different activities until you find something that really speaks to you.
It’s also important to keep an open mind and be willing to try new things, even if they seem a little scary at first. Don’t be afraid to venture outside of your comfort zone!
Yes. It takes time to think and practice. But it is not impossible.
10 . Overthinking of Praise and Problems:
If you’re the type of person who takes criticism personally or gets defensive when someone points out an error in your work, then this may be a distraction for you.
Conversely, suppose you feel that praise from others has inflated your ego and made it difficult to accept constructive feedback on what needs improvement. In that case, there’s a chance that this could also be distracting!
It’s important to remember how critical praise is for your self-esteem. Suppose you’re receiving too many compliments in one day; it might make us feel better about yourself and cause distractions such as overthinking what others think or, even worse — feeling like you have accomplished more than what’s actually been done.
Similarly, problems in your day-to-day lives can lead us to overthink. Possible solutions rather than overthinking include family members who need help around the house or friends who want some quality time together.
Stressing about the little things can take up a lot of unnecessary time.
The best way to combat this type of distraction is by seeking out professional help if necessary and/or practicing self-compassion. This means being kind to yourself when you make mistakes or feel overwhelmed — nobody’s perfect!
In Conclusion
The good news is that there are ways to improve your focus, even if you feel like you’re constantly bombarded with distractions.
If you can’t seem to focus because of all the surrounding distractions, don’t worry. Most people struggle with staying focused on our constantly-connected world.
But have no fear — there are ways to improve your focus, even if it feels like everything is working against you.
Try not to be too hard on yourself, and be patient in finding solutions to your problems. Accept that it may take time, but eventually, you’ll find the right path for you.
Remember, these are only a few of the many distractions that can plague your life — but with a little bit of effort, you can overcome them!
Thank you for reading!