Three Sources Of Distraction That Are Slowing You Down, And What To Do With Them

Fight these today!

Hello friend! 👋

We already know that having the ability to focus is the ultimate form of power.

When we are in focus we are sharper, stronger, and faster.

Remember when we were kids and used to play with a magnifying glass to burn paper (or leaves) using nothing but sunlight?

You too can burn through any problem if you focus your attention and effort.

But attention nowadays is spread so thin because of all the distractions we are surrounded with.

Which brings me to the topic of this week’s newsletter.

Let’s dive straight in!

⁉️Decisions

This one is tricky.

Let’s first unpack the etymology of the word:

Decide: de + caedere; CUT + OFF, to cut off all other options.

Once you’ve decided on something, all other options are now a distraction.

It is a subtle shift that you will need to make, however most people don’t.

What generally happens is we “decide” on something, but then go back-and-forth reconsidering previous options.

Although this might sound like a good idea because it allows you to reconsider and make sure you didn’t make the wrong decision, it is an absolute waste of time.

Why?

Because once you decide there are only two outcomes:

1. Decision was right, all your focus should be deployed in moving FAST towards that goal and the back-and-forth is a waste of time.

2. Decision was wrong, but you don’t know that because you’re not moving FAST enough to see it fail.

In the second scenario the back-and-forth means you’ll have many of these half-decisions open at the same time, all of them may be wrong but you won’t know only after spending so much time.

That’s time wasted.

This usually also results in what psychologists call DECISION FATIGUE; the inability to make any decision at all.

Ending up in many open things with no progress to show for any of them.

Ideas of genius projects collecting dust.

Instead, trust the available data AND your inner wisdom to make a decision.

Once you decide, go ALL-IN.

You’ll either WIN or LEARN.

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📰 News

I stopped closely following the news in 2009.

I’m still whole and capable.

In fact, I would argue that I am much better than I would have been if I did stick with the news.

Yes I may occasionally miss on the context of some conversations, but that rarely happens and I’m okay with it.

The reality is that most of the news are useless news, exaggerated media designed to grab and waste your attention.

Plus, whatever is really important will find its way through conversations, social circles, or online circulations from friends. We have enough access to these.

There’s rarely any value in consuming news on the spot, only if you were a stock market trader (not an investor) and even then the ROI for being so connected and consumed isn’t that high.

Being constantly connected and reactive to what the media agencies put out can create a subtle layer of chronic anxiety.

Why?

Because fear is a major force, and for news to stick and be trendy they have to be laced with it.

Instead, be creative rather than reactive.

Create the world you want to see.

Be the best version of yourself so you can show up at your best to the people around you and focus your attention on that.

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📲 Electronic notifications

You already saw that one coming! 😅

We’re more distracted than ever because of technology.

But technology was made for us TO USE, not to BE USED by it.

Let me clarify, technology is great. I’m a tech nerd myself!

It has helped us become faster in connecting with each other and a lot more productive in the work we do.

However, when left uncontrolled it can be a major source of distraction.

Keeping us distracted from doing deep work that requires hyper-focus.

Scientific research shows that it takes 23 minutes for the mind to return to the level of focus it had before being distracted.

TWENTY THREE MINUTES! 🤯

If we assume the brain was running at 70% capacity during those 23 minutes (it is probably much less), that’s work done in 23 minutes that could have been done in 16 minutes.

That’s a lot of time wasted. (30% to be exact)

Stack these distractions back-to-back, as is the reality of most our days, then that’s 30% of your day, month, and year wasted.

Instead of being online ALL THE TIME, turn off your notification and dedicate specific slots of time for when you will be online.

These can be as frequent and as long you’d like them to be and may be different lengths and frequency for your phone, email, social media, etc…

However, the point is to USE the technology when YOU DECIDE to use it, not the other way around.

Dedicate the remaining time in deep, hyper-focus state of work and connection with your loved ones.

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That’s all for today.

I hope you find these useful and give yourself the chance to try them and benefit from them.

Have a Super Sunday! 💪

Hashim

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1. 30-Day becomeSUPER Challenge: Starting 21st May, for 30 days, I will support and challenge you to MASTER your day, develop a SYSTEM to do this every day, and in the process CREATE the life you want. Let’s win together! ⚡️

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