A tool that helps you stay focused on deep work
It can be hard to focus on deep work (creative work, business updates, content creation etc) , because so many things can distract you. Notifications, someone else who works in the same space as you, the dog needs to go out – the list goes on.
However, one of the biggest distractions is your brain.
Why it’s hard to stay focused on the work you need to do
As you’re working, your brain keeps coming up with to-dos and ideas. If you don’t do something about that to-do or idea right away, your brain starts repeating that thought over and over again. There’s a worry that you’ll forget it. This worry can make this thought/idea feel more urgent and important than it is, causing you to switch your focus from the original task.
This causes task-switching (and most likely context-switching), making it hard to orient yourself back to the original task. The task that you know is actually more important.
These interruptions can make it challenging to stay focused, so I’m happy to report that I’ve found a tool that I use daily to stay focused on the task at hand: the Distractions List. As far s I can tell, Chris Bailey (the author of Hyperfocus) came up with this brilliant tool.
The Distractions List is a tool that helps you stay more focused on the task at hand, allowing you to keep things that pop into your brain at bay until you are ready for them. Here is how it works:
The practice of using a Distractions List
The practice of using a Distractions List is really, really simple:
Step 1 – the actual tool
Keep a notepad or notebook and pen handy as you’re working. I find that with a digital option, the risk of getting distracted grows.
Step 2 – take notes
Whenever a to-do or idea pops up that is unrelated to the work you are doing, quickly write it down on the paper next to you, and then re-focus on your work.
The idea is to transfer the ideas onto paper, which reassures your brain that you are not going to forget them. This eases the worry around forgetting them and reduces the stress and mental load of having too much on your mind at once.
You don’t have to try to evaluate if the idea is important enough to write down – just write it down.
Step 3 – review
At the end of your work session, or towards the end of the work day, that’s when you review the list and evaluate each item you wrote down.
What do you need to take care of right away?
What do you need to schedule or make a plan for?
Is there’s anything you need to add to your more permanent notes, or to a shopping list?
Are there are items that on second thought you don’t need to even pay attention to and can cross off?
And you can make this practice your own. Maybe you only review and tackle the items on the list at the end of the week, or maybe you check it once before lunch and once before you stop working for the day. The important thing is to review the tasks regularly, so that it doesn’t just keep growing, become overwhelming, or contain important tasks that you can’t afford to fall through the cracks.
Bonus Distractions List tip
Add as much information or context in that note as you believe you’ll need in order to understand what the note is about later. I’ve made some silly mistakes in that department myself!
Benefits of a Distractions List
By using the Distractions List, you are essentially transferring some of the things you need to remember onto an external brain, to avoid overloading your working brain. This is like moving some of your files onto an external hard drive to keep your laptop running smoothly.
The main benefit of the Distractions List is that it helps you stay focused on the work that you are doing, allowing you to stay in the flow and avoid task-switching.
Final thoughts on the Distractions List
I don’t often share concrete tools and tips publicly, because we’re all different and don’t necessarily benefit from the same tools or strategies – but I thought the Distractions List is a universally helpful tool. This topic falls under the design part of the ecosystem that helps you stay productive in a sustainable way.
If you struggle with interruptions and distractions that make it hard for you to stay focused, consider using the Distractions List. It is a simple tool that can help you stay more focused on the things you have started working on and improve your productivity in a sustainable way. If you give it a try, let me know what you think :)