The Main Ideology Behind Being Indistractable
Being Indistractable has two main parts:
- Cutting out unnecessary distractions
- Introducing more meaningful tractions
{Traction: Actions that get you closer to your goals
Distraction: Actions that do not allow you to get closer to your goals; instead, they pull you back}
You cannot minimize distractions without having meaningful tractions to replace them. You need to give attention to both because they are related. If you are getting distracted often, it's time to reevaluate what you are doing and, if possible, switch to something meaningful for you. When you love what you are doing, there won't be such a thing as distractions.
If you give attention to distraction more than traction, then "not getting distracted" becomes your main purpose in life, and that sucks.
If you give attention to traction alone, then that itself becomes a distraction towards your normal life.
Life is ultimately to enjoy, no matter what you do.
Cause and Cure for Distraction
Simply, "discomfort causes internal distractions." It can either be mental discomfort or physical discomfort; both screw you up. You can observe for yourself that you can work long hours if you don't experience any discomfort. Sadly, this scenario doesn't happen often, or it doesn't happen at all because this is not an ideal world.
Being less satisfied is also a key factor that causes distractions. There is a thing called the "Goldilocks zone" that James Clear talks about in his book Atomic Habits. If the task is too simple or too tough, we feel like, "Fuck it, I am not going to do this shit," and we don't do it. If it's too simple, we get bored; therefore, we feel less satisfied and get distracted in search of something that can stimulate us more. If it's too tough, we feel frustrated and quit. That's why it is always advised to go for the middle ground.
How Can External Distractions Be Easily Avoided?
External distractions are far easier to avoid. First of all, your phone is your main distraction. Just turn off the notifications, and you are good to go. Whatever else (physical things) distracts you, try to increase friction between you and the thing that is distracting you.
Let me give you an example: let's say my phone bugs me when it's near me while I'm studying. To increase friction, I will take that thing and put it as far away as possible, or even to the extreme—I can give it to somebody and tell them not to give it back until I have studied what I said I would study. The key is to "increase friction."
How to Increase Traction in Our Life
It is equally important to have traction in your life as it is to remove distractions. If you don't have tractions set up, you won't know what you are distracted from. Pick something meaningful that you will enjoy doing for a long time.
One framework that I would like to suggest is to ask yourself: if you were to do only one thing in your life every day until you die, would you do it? If you say "NO," then don't even try to do the thing. You won't like it. Even if you have any hesitation saying "YES," then you need to reconsider your choice of doing that thing in the first place. Don't do that thing until your mind says "FUCK YEAH."
Life Beyond Distractions
Life becomes meaningful when you grow beyond the boundaries of the distractions that you once had.
References: [Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life] by Nir Eyal