When Distractions Become Addictive

I have given a lot of thought to content of the sessions at Mind and Its Potential conference the other week and feel compelled to share a few more pearls of wisdom – or perhaps different ways of looking at things with you all! 

The idea of our becoming addicted to distraction really hit a note for me as I can recognise the tendency to sometimes scan my working environment (ie laptop) for new stimuli, usually in the form of an email or perhaps a Skype voice message, particularly if I am working on something not quite as exciting as I would like it to be! The ability to focus, or pay attention to the task at hand – otherwise known as “mindfulness” (yes, let’s take the hoo ha out of this term) is something that I believe we all struggle with more and more. The quote about attention deficit trait “turning steady executives into frenzied underachievers” was very powerful and a reminder about the dangers of constant stimulation and multi-tasking. 

I will share with you a set of guidelines given to ensure we get the most out of our choices in life and don’t miss out on what is valuable.

  • Set limits on technology
  • Be active, not passive – innovate, write, do something!  Don’t see to be entertained.
  • Use these things to clarify your emotions
  • Exercise!  Minds live in bodies.
  • Talk
  • Have idle, quiet time (not sleep).
  • Share activities with someone (eg read the same book – two copies of course).
  • Remember mortality to make more of life
Some of those strike a chord with me. Do they with you?