If distraction becomes a habit, we may be unable to sustain the focus required for creativity in our professional and personal lives. Let’s start with a definition of distraction.Īccording to the American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, distraction is “the process of interrupting attention” and “a stimulus or task that draws attention away from the task of primary interest.” In other words, distractions draw us away from what we want to do, whether it’s to accomplish a task at home or work, enjoy time with a loved one, or do something for ourselves. It’s time to equip yourself to manage your distractions. Although distractions aren’t necessarily your fault, they are your responsibility. Hoping and waiting for tech companies to change their products or for your boss to finally learn to respect your time may take longer than you’re willing to wait. On top of all that, we just can’t seem to disconnect from work. We bemoan the fact that technology is becoming more pervasive and persuasive and complain that our devices are “hijacking” our brains. If you asked me what superpower I’d want, I know the answer: I want the power to be indistractable. I wanted to get the best out of my tech gadgets, without letting the tech gadgets get the best of me. At that moment, I knew I needed to learn how to manage distraction. I’d blown a perfect daddy-daughter moment because I was distracted.

By the time I looked up, she had left the room. While she was telling me her dream superpower, I was busy staring at my phone. I wish I could tell you what she said in that moment, but I can’t.

“I need to respond to one thing.” My eyes were glued to my phone, my fingers were tapping away at a response. One exercise consisted of asking each other the following question: “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” Between the moment I asked the question and when my daughter could answer, I felt a buzz in my pocket. I remember sitting with my daughter one afternoon doing activities from a book written to help daddies and daughters bond. But in the process of researching the book, I found that some products drew some people in too much, including me. I wrote Hooked for companies who wanted to help their customers build healthy habits, like going to the gym regularly and eating right. In fact, I wrote the book about it in 2014: Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. For over a decade, I’ve helped tech companies build products to keep you clicking. I know how distractions work from the inside. How the difference between traction and distraction could transform your productivity

Indistractable website