For the past month or more, I’ve been a passenger in my own car. Why? you might be wondering. Simply put, it’s because my 16-year-old daughter now has her permit and I’m giving her every opportunity to drive. Practice makes for a more aware driver. So, where am I going with this? Well, besides ensuring that she drives well, I’ve had time to reflect during these practice runs. One thing I’ve thought about is all the distractions we have today, compared to twenty years ago. Whether it’s binging shows on Netflix, scrolling through Instagram, checking email, or text messages, we’re totally distracted. So, how can we resist the constant distractions all around us?
Nostalgia
Years ago, I won’t say how many, the biggest distraction while driving was blaring your radio. Today, you not only have the radio, but an interactive “infotainment” system. This alone can be a distraction because of the plethora of available options. Additionally, you have your mobile phone that’s constantly connected. Move from the car into your home and you have 24/7 TV access, and again the mobile phone, which goes everywhere with you. If you’re not watching TV, you’re answering an email, scrolling on your favorite social media site, or playing online games. All of this is taking up your time, and while you can’t get back the time you’ve lost, you can limit the distractions.
When I was young, kids would play outside with friends. We’d meet up after we had done our homework and didn’t return home until dinner. Sometimes we’d meet up again until 8 pm. Now I’m not saying we’ll ever go back to this habit, but there were fewer distractions, and they weren’t as constant. Maybe we could take a lesson from this bygone era and resist the distraction of our technology to spend quality time with family and friends.
New Ways
Recently I read the second book from Nir Eyal titled Indistractable How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. In this follow-up book to Hooked How to Build Habit-Forming Products, Eyal realizes the idea proposed in his first book was affecting society in a different way than he had expected. Based on the negative causal effect on his life and society’s, he wanted to counter his “Hooked” model and he researched the counterbalance. Eyal’s answer was the Indistractable Model. In this model, there are distractions (like pings, dings, and rings) and tractions (actions allowing you to reach your goal). To stay centered or move toward traction on the distraction-traction continuum, you must look at both the external and internal triggers. According to Eyal, “Distraction is about more than your devices. Separate proximate causes from the root cause.”
In contrast, Cal Newport’s book, titled Deep Work Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, homes in on skills related to work or study. Newport concentrates on how to focus and be more productive at work. After explaining why Deep Work is valuable, rare, and meaningful, he lays out four simple rules to accomplish achieving mastery of the skill. These include, “Work Deeply, Embrace Boredom, Quit Social Media, and Drain the Shallows.”
While the books agree on information overload in this digital age, the authors differ in their approach to handling distractions. Eyal writes from a psychological and behavioral point of view and offers practical solutions that can be applied to everyday life. Newport, on the other hand, writes from a business and productivity point of view. His suggested “rules” require a person to have dedicated and undivided attention to Deep Work, which might not be realistic for most people.
Conclusion
In conclusion, distractions today are greater than they’ve ever been and don’t show any signs of easing up. However, with some dedication and commitment, you can control your distractions. If you can learn to limit your distractions, you will be more present, aware, and productive! Both books offer great insights on the topic of distraction in today’s digital age. For an overall look at incorporating techniques into your daily life, I suggest you read Nir Eyal’s Indistractable. If you have large time blocks, read Cal Newport’s Deep Work. One interesting and final note is that Cal Newport is quoted as saying “Indistractable is a master class in understanding the root cause of distraction. Recommended for anyone looking to do more deep work.”
References
Eyal, N., & Li-Eyal, J. (2019). Indistractable: How to control your attention and Choose your life. Dallas, TX: BenBella Books, Inc.
Newport, C. (2016). Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world: Rules for focused success in a distracted world. s.l.: Grand Central Publishing.