Distraction is not a new phenomenon. Humans have been getting distracted long before smartphones or the Internet. But now more than ever, one of the most important skills we can develop is the ability to focus and manage our attention.
This is the subject of a 2019 book by Nir Eyal called Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.
I recently consumed this book on a new platform called LIT Videobooks. They turn best-selling books into engaging, documentary-like productions hosted by the author. Below is a brief summary of my main takeaways from this videobook.
Summary/Notes
Any action that moves you toward your goals, plans, or values is creating traction.
Anything that pulls you away from your goals, plans, or values is creating distraction.
Eyal presents a four-part model for becoming “indistractable”:
1. Be mindful of internal triggers.
You might think of distraction as being caused mainly by external triggers like phone notifications, emails, etc. But recent studies show that most of our distraction is caused by internal triggers like boredom, loneliness, fatigue, uncertainty, stress, anxiety, etc.
In other words, we give into distraction in order to escape discomfort.
The more mindful we can become of the emotions and physical sensations that precede distraction, the better we will be able to control and redirect impulsive behavior.
2. Schedule important activities ahead of time.
One of the most important weapons against distraction is our uniquely human ability to plan and see into the future. Here’s why:
Distraction is essentially an impulse control problem. The antidote to impulsiveness is forethought. By planning ahead and scheduling time for activities that are consistent with your goals and values, there is no distraction you can’t overcome.
3. Guard against external triggers.
A guiding question throughout your day should be:
“Is this external trigger (notification, email, etc.) serving me, or am I serving it? Is it something I planned, or something I’m reacting to that's pulling me away from the present moment?”
Here are some practical steps you can take to guard against external distractors:
Delete unused apps.
Turn off or adjust notifications.
Respond only to critically important emails.
Use apps like Pocket to keep track of news articles you want to read later so you don’t get sucked down Internet rabbit holes.
4. Keep yourself accountable through pacts.
A pact is a pre-commitment to follow through on something, often with built-in consequences for failing to do so. Here are a few examples of effective pacts you can make to keep yourself on track:
Agree to pay a certain amount of money to a charity, a friend, or family member if you do not follow through on a particular task or project.
Set a timer for how long you can use certain apps using the built-in feature on your phone.
Make desired behavior changes part of your identity and share these with others to help keep you accountable (i.e. “I’m a vegetarian.” “I’m a runner.” “I’m indistractable.” etc.)
My thoughts
In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex and full of distractions—both internal and external—we could all stand to become more mindful of our attention. Eyal’s overarching solution to distraction is essentially to plan ahead and stick to your plan.
While I agree with this to a large degree, I’ve also learned that there is often an element of spontaneity associated with the creation of quality work. There should be some room in your days to follow your excitement and pursue the unexpected. I believe there’s probably a middle path that we should aim for that lies somewhere between rigidly scheduling everything and letting your day take you for a ride.
Overall, this is a good book if you’re new to the world of productivity/time management or just want a refresher. However, if you’ve read a book or two on the subject, like The 4-Hour Workweek or Deep Work, you probably won’t find much new information here.
A special thank you to LIT Videobooks for sponsoring this post and being a wonderful supporter of my work. I highly recommend checking out their library if you’re into non-fiction. Their videobooks are an excellent way to consume a large amount of information in a short amount of time, while improving comprehension.
You can check them out and support my work by visiting LitVideoBooks.com.