Distraction Disrupter

Create intelligent environmental design

  1. No multitasking
    1. Uni-task only
    2. One thing at a time - literally no matter what
    3. Get really freaking about doing ONE thing at a time
    4. When you ONLY eat when it’s time to eat, you’re more likely to ONLY work when it’s time to work
    5. Commit to ferocious uni-tasking
  2. Complete things completely
    1. Eliminate task switching and become a pro at follow through
    2. Else there is a residual effect carried over to the next project
  3. Monk like impulse control
    1. The magic of maybe
      1. The allure to checking things
      2. What could it be...
    2. Avoid these impulses
    3. Tools
      1. Lower cognitive load (working memory) to increases performance
        1. To reduce impulse control
      2. Get things out of your mind
        1. Use todo lists
        2. Write things down
      3. Use exaggerate and reward
        1. PRETEND when you want to check Email, FB how much it will RUIN your whole day / life / project
        2. Reward yourself excessively when you do follow through on what you’re supposed to do
        3. Raise your standard on what is boring
          1. Reduce how easily you can get bored
          2. Then we can resist impulses
        4. Meditation, hydration, sleep properly, journal, gratitude
        5. Nature - even looking at an image
        6. Breathing to arouse meta cognition (using the impulse as a trigger)
          1. Take 5 deep breathes when you have that urge
          2. And tell yourself you’re allowed to do it ONLY if you take the 5 deep breathes
          3. Then get in touch with higher self, big long term goals, your motivation- that at the end of the day you’ll be happy you finished them instead of being distracted.
      4. Sensory Gating
        1. When you’re getting too much input than you can take at one time - overwhelming stimuli
          1. Doing the task in more tempting or overwhelming environments makes it more difficult
          2. Fatigues your brain
        2. Gating
          1. Make your environment as calm as possible
          2. Avoid harsh lights / wear sunglasses
          3. Use eye mask
          4. Use noise cancelling headphones
          5. Conversations to back to corner or against wall
          6. Make an action list of todo in hyper environments

Recovering after a distraction 1. Bore yourself 1. Arouse sense of boredom - 1. Sit there 2. Stare at a wall 2. Makes the next task less boring than the actual boredom 2. Scrub away attention residue 1. Setting clear goals (a trigger for flow state) 1. Before the next task write down in freakish detail the steps to finish 1. Will reduce the friction and energy expenditure 3. Let the snow globe settle 1. Don’t just try lead straight back into the task - you need to change state before you get back into the task - otherwise you’ll go into the task in the same unfocused / distracted energy 1. Breathe Deeply 2. Meditate 3. Take a nap 4. Walk

Tech Setting For Flow

Be the member of the team that doesn’t have the handicap

This is an unfair advantage

The high flow advantage - harder and more valuable than ever

The gain is well worth the thing you think you’ll lose

Escaping Tech Slavery

Tech slavery We WIN by NOT paying attention “If we’re not careful the things we own end up owning us”

What is the MINIMUM amount I can check email?

  1. Resurrection of unavailable

    • forget the assumptions of always being available

  2. Batch your tech usage

    • email once a day

    • respond to messages once a day

  3. Asynchronis communication as much as possible

  4. Always schedule communication

    • no big windows- you can’t get into flow thinking

  5. Focus everything to ONE inbox

    1. Preferably email
    2. Whatsapp or iMessage or Telegram

  6. Live life in flight mode friction into self distraction

  7. Treat looking at your phone like looking at the sun

  8. Embrace short term chaos and sacrifice for long term gain

Shift to output focused instead of input focused business vs progress What is the MEAT that they want? The core of the work? You’ll be rewarded and forgiven for your output

Beg for forgiveness not permission people will respect you more

Define your own standards

Being an informed citizen is only important if it’s impacting your behavior or what you’re doing.

Peak Performance Over the Long-Haul

These results will compound over time

There is a war on attention - and you are getting SLAUGHTERED Go for the high flow advantage

Flow is more challenging and more VALUABLE than ever

RESIST and ~annihilate~ the IMPULSE of checking “The magic of Maybe”

You’re giving up relatively LITTLE to what you get back a life free of distraction, stress, overwhelm and dissatisfaction Reach the end of the work day satisfied

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