Send Your Distractions Running

How would you like to send your distractions running?

In the opposite direction? You can do it.
There is nothing more distracting than a distraction.

You are a runner and your shoe lace comes untied.

You are driving along and it starts raining.

You are trying to type with a sore finger.

These are distractions that we live with from day to day.

Each and every day we are confronted with distractions that
we did not expect
, and are at the very least, quite annoying.
The interesting thing about getting distracted is that many
distractions can be controlled.

You say “B.S.” Okay, let take a look at your typical day.

You’re running late for work again. Why, because you got
distracted by something. What did you get distracted by?
Let’s check it out now.

===> You got distracted from your sound sleep by the alarm clock.
If you don’t want to get up for work, then don’t set your alarm.
You lumber out of bed, and you turn on the television to see
what is going on in the world, and maybe check out the weather
for the day.

===> You wash up, take a shower, whatever. You check out the
T.V. again because the weather is on.

===> Before the weather there is an interesting celebrity story
in the news. You need to pay close attention to, and you do.

You always save time by setting the timer on the coffee, so
thank goodness that is ready. You sit down with your coffee
an watch the weather lady tell you what your weather is
going to be like today. They told you yesterday that the weather
is going to be about the same for the next 5 or 6 days, but
you need to make sure, because you want to go golfing
tomorrow.

Right! Good weather. You grab your cell phone and send a text to make
sure, that your friends know for sure that you will joining
them tomorrow for that round of golf.

Okay, now you need to get ready for work and your time is
now getting short. You do the personal hygiene things, and
you’re ready to leave, but where are your keys? What did you
do with your glasses? I know, why not check your cell phone
again to see if you get any clues?

Great! A text from that girl that you just met yesterday.
What does she say…, “Don’t call me, I’ll call you”. Bummer.
You check your other messages, look at the weather one more
time before you leave (you found your keys and glasses),
and now you are 10 minutes late for work and have not
even left yet.

Can you count how many “Unforced” distractions that you had?

1. You didn’t need the television, you already knew the weather.

2. The celebrity spotlight was a major waste of your time.

3. You did not need to text anyone – they know you are coming
because you have already told them so.

4. Did you really check you cell phone to find your keys?
You really checked your cell phone so that you could look
at your text messages. Another waste of time for you.

5. C’mon, how many times do you need to check the weather?
You didn’t need to check out your hopeful girlfriend’s text
either, it could have waited, and it only made you depressed.
And, by the way, that was number “6”.

We find so many ways to waste our time that we don’t even realize
what we do. The major battle that we have is with ourselves.
Knowing what is consuming our time is our major tool for knowing
how to use our time wisely, and will eliminate most of the major
distractions with which we clutter up our days. Some distractions
we cannot control, but many we can.

Doing my best, so that you can do yours.

Bob