Distraction is usually something we go to great lengths to try to avoid. One thing I love about the going to the operating room is it is usually free of distractions. I can focus all my attention on performing the surgery I came there to do. If someone from my clinic calls my phone, the OR nurse knows to take a message and find out if the caller has an emergency. If not, the OR nurse knows to take a message and let the caller know that I am busy operating on a patient and will call them back when I am done.
I can focus all my mental and physical energy into making the appropriate cut with the knife or surgical scissors, placing hardware in the right spot, or repairing damaged tissue using suture or suture anchors.
When I am in the clinic it is another story. Clinic is full of distractions! Often I am getting calls or messages from patients, insurance company representatives, or my clinic staff. I try to avoid these important distractions the best I can to get through the clinic without falling behind.
Busy professionals know the importance of avoiding common distractions and there are many books, podcasts, and courses focused on how to avoid distraction so you can be more productive.
What if I told you sometimes distraction can be used to improve your focus? What if you could use a healthy distraction to set up the rest of your day to focus better and become more productive.
Our brains are wired for us to be distracted by outside events so we can be aware of danger surrounding us. The digital age has shortened our attention spans. Some sources estimate that most adults can only focus for about 8 minutes before being distracted by something else.
Since we are going to be distracted whether we plan it or not, why not use healthy distractions to pull us out of our deep work and focus on our health, even if it is for a few minutes.
- Perhaps you are at work and have been engaged in one hour of some pretty intense work at your computer.
- Why not take a 5 minute break and stretch your calf muscles, wrist, or shoulders? Perhaps, go outside to take a 5 minute walk to get your blood flowing.
- Maybe, take a 5 minute break to eat a healthy snack, so you won’t be tempted to grab that candy without even realizing it.
When we are home and need to work late to get a project done, after an hour of work, why not spend 20 minutes with your kid building a Lego tower or helping them draw an animal?
By being intentional about our distractions, we can give our brains a rest and then go back to focusing on the task at hand. Give it a try, I will bet you will be more productive!
