The distractor factor. One of the reasons we feel we don’t have enough time. Notice I said “feel”. As I shared yesterday, I do agree with H. Jackson Brown’s sentiments. We each are dealt the same hand, given the same opportunities. We all live the 24 hour day.
Distractions have become a HUGE factor- and I mean HUGE– with our struggles with time. The first person to point this out to me was my business coach, Alicia Forest. Now being a nurse entrepreneur, a student of spiritual practice, and an avid reader- I’ve come across this philosophy on more than one occasion.
As a nurse, I’m sure you can relate. Thinking back to when I worked on the inpatient psychiatric unit I can recall many, many distractions. Phone calls, patient visitors, co-workers, blue bells, bed alarms, IV medications, beepers, etc. The list could go on and on. I am sure you can add many, many more distractions that you experience every day.
As I said above, I first learned about this issue of distraction in one of Alicia’s webinars. She was talking to us entrepreneurs about having enough time in our business so that it doesn’t seem like all we do is work all day long. Alicia shared with us how there are lots of distractors happening that we can give energy to, thus taking time away from ourselves and what is important to do.
[(Spontaneous distraction)… Wow. What a really neat experience- just as I was typing this article someone messaged me via Skype. I had to take my attention away from what I was writing, away from my thought process for this article, and click over to see who and what the message was. Typically I keep my Skype application closed for that very reason- that and my personal Facebook page (another area prevalent to private messages).]
What a great experience! I was just about to start sharing with you some of the distractors you might want to begin to eliminate and I get a reminder of my own. So here goes- here are some of the things to reflect upon to see how high your distraction load is:
- Overdone with information. We live in a high technology environment. This period in history is plagued with information overwhelm. Yes, I do use technology. Yes, I enjoy the benefits of it. But, no I wouldn’t call myself an “early adapter”. We get HUNDREDS- some of us thousands- of emails a day. We have IM, text, Skype, video chat, direct message, and things I am sure I am not even aware of! We have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email, blogs, websites, Pinterest, etc. Again, I am sure I am missing lots from this list. Do you leave your ringer on while your phone is attached to your hip? Are you checking email all day? Have you updated your Facebook page recently? All of these things, while good, necessary, and needed, can be distractors when overdone. Where do you rank yourself in terms of information overload?
- Drama. It is one thing to talk with friends, catch up with family, and get to know co-workers but how often do we allow ourselves to get distracted by every little conversation? Are you one of those people who get involved in every little story, every little drama? Are things always “happening” to you and your circle? Take an honest look at your life, your experiences. Is it time to let go of some of the drama?
- Past and future. Where do you live your life? Worrying about what has happened takes time. Feeling nervous, anxious, or scared of what might happen sucks energy. One of my favorite reminders of this comes from the Serenity Prayer (and not the part of the prayer that we all are used to hearing) which says: “Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time…” It does take practice, attention, awareness and discipline but when we live more often in the present moment we seem to create and have more time. If our minds are constantly wandering to what has or what may happen, we are distracting ourselves from what we should be focusing on. It takes more time to get the same thing done.
These are just some examples of what may be distracting you, causing you to waste your time. What are some others that you can think of? How do distractions waste your time and energy?
I made of list of a half dozen while on the phone call! Besides the same as the one you also mentioned (too much thinking!). I always find the time to think too much when I’m trying to fall asleep. Patient family’s is another. Even in the middle of the night there is plenty to keep one distracted. Of the six patient’s I was assigned to over the w/e, five had family members on cots in the room. That adds up to eleven patient’s in my book! Personal family drama is a biggie right now and the one that keeps me awake most at night. Work issues, friend’s problems that in turn I take on as my own. They all add up and take up one’s much needed time. At the same time, I also made a mental list of the two things I can do that only take a minute that help me to relax and de-stress. The first is breathing. Walk away no matter where you are and just take a few cleansing breaths. Turn around again and you’re ready to go again. It really makes a difference. The second is pray. No matter what your faith, prayer need only take a minute and you can put it in the hands of a higher power. I have found myself in the hospital’s chapel in the middle of the night for a couple minutes when I have REALLY needed some solace and to get away from the nursing unit. Two easy and simple ways that can make a BIG difference!
Marti,
Thank you so much for your comment! I admire and appreciate your wisdom, courage, and candid response. It is a difficult thing- to be a nurse. We are a nurse at work, at home, and in our community! It is as if the cap never is taken “off”. Thank you for sharing all of your distractions. I sure do share many of them with you. I love what you do on your shift though… going into the chapel to find that quiet and solstice amid the hectic and busy shift. Thank you for sharing what helps you to relieve yourself of stress and distractions. And you are right- some of these strategies and tools only take a moment to do! Thanks for your comment and for always being so active in your own self-care.
Have a healthy day,
Elizabeth