Episode 67: Dealing with Distraction

Every day, we're bombarded by constant distraction and it can really get in the way of productivity. This week, Janine and Shannon talk about the challenges presented by distraction and some strategies for dealing with it. Discussion topics include: • The toll distractions take on our productivity • Janine’s distracting quest for birthday-gift suggestions • Fun subscription boxes • Open loops and how they can be distracting • How to close those open loops • Stopping mid-sentence to prompt yourself to go back to writing • How stopping mid-sentence backfired for Shannon when she was participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) • The prospect of writing a graphic novel or an illustrated novel during NaNoWriMo • Janine’s #1 tool in avoiding distraction: A timer • Shannon’s technique for dealing with distractions: writing down the bright shiny object and moving on • Shannon’s three-pronged task management system (Todoist, Trello & Bullet Journal) • The value of knowing which tasks are important—and why • How a good task management system can help you avoid succumbing to distraction • Some strategies for minimizing distractions • The easiest way to deal with distraction: eliminate the opportunities to be distracted (we’re talking to you, iPhone on the nightstand) • Creating awareness of the things that distract you • How just knowing you can get a notification reduces your IQ Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for lots of links.