Identify your Distraction Attractions

Last week I listened to the Squiggly Careers podcast episode on managing your distractions. It’s great. I have recently got into listening to podcasts when walking the dog. https://www.amazingif.com/listen/how-to-manage-your-distraction-downfalls/

Anyway, I found this particular episode really useful. Sarah and Helen, chat about identifying your Distraction Attractions as the first step into managing them. They can be:

1. Human – this one is pretty common right now when working from home. Things like the kids running in on you, your partner popping their head around the door for a chat, homeschooling, a delivery arriving, working at the kitchen table probably doesn’t help, but that’s what some of us are faced with right now. This would be a colleague calling you for a chat or update or turning up at your desk, dropping off a cuppa etc. You get the drift.
2. Technology – This is constant. Beeps. Notifications. Email, text, WhatsApp, social media… online shopping, endless scrolling. Now I have also got 3 apps to keep on top of for schooling a 4 year old that constantly ping at me too.
3. Internal – This is more about when a task you need to get done is hard and needs a lot of thinking or you don’t know where to start or even you don’t enjoy it. We’re good at finding things to do instead.

Helen and Sarah chat through these types of distractions and how they affect them so differently then go on to share some tips to help you manage them better.

One I know I’ll be taking on board is the ‘Jolt Theory’ – moving my phone further away from me when working so I have to physically move to pick it up.

I’m also figuring out ways in which we can communicate better at home so that we don’t interrupt each other when we are in the middle of a paragraph! (I can’t really do that with the kids wanting to tell me when they have been to the loo… but it’s worth a try!)

I’m a real fan of Helen Tupper & Sarah Ellis, what they have achieved since starting out Amazing If is really inspirational. After meeting Helen a few years ago when she was at Microsoft I have closely followed her journey in her business Amazing If. (errr, not in a creepy way!) This weekend they did a Ted Talk! How cool is that? Inspirational women in business.

I have started to read their book too which I really recommend. It’s all about ditching the career ladder and embracing the Squiggly career – moving more fluidly between roles, industries and even careers. We’ve selected it as our book of the month for February, so we’ll be reviewing it together at our next book club meeting on the 4th March. I’ll share our thoughts & feedback on the book with you then. 

Here’s a link to their website for more info on their book, podcast, services they offer and social media links – well worth a follow.

What are your distraction attractions? If you can identify them, then you can start working on resolving them.

Any other podcasts to recommend? – please do get in touch with us to share. My go to podcasts for dog walks right now are Squiggly Careers, Mary Portas and Shagged, Married Annoyed!