Distractions, distractions, distractions! We are surrounded by them. In this digital age, it is too easy to be distracted by our surroundings. Everything and anything can be a distraction if we let it. If it’s not Netflix, then there’s YouTube. Does anyone still watch TV anymore? If it’s not Instagram, then there’s Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or our favourite blogger just released a new post… you name it. Distractions are literally at our fingertips! Waiting eagerly to distract us from producing. And then there are the distractions that life throws at us because you know, life happens, for good and for bad! All we want to do is engrossed in digital distractions to forget about life. And that’s ok! But as a modern Lady, we need to have the mental strength to snap out of it. We need to have a strategy in place to refocus and the discipline to get back on track.
Ladies, how are you doing?
No really, how are you doing? With so much going on in the world right now, I hope you are all looking after yourself, your well-being and your loved ones. I haven’t been doing very well lately, I’m not going to lie. I’ve recently lost two very beloved family members within the space of three months!! 🥺 Not covid related but because of covid and Australia’s never-ending lockdowns, I was not able to go back to attend the funerals and be with my family.
The last few months have been an emotional rollercoaster, to say the least. When my grandma passed away, I buried myself in work so I don’t have to think about the pain. And then three months later, my uncle passed away. He was like a second father to me. I was completely broken!! Maybe I never quite healed from the first loss. This time all I wanted to do was curl up on the sofa and buried myself in Chinese TV series. Anything to distract me from the pains of my reality. I did that for a whole week! And it’s ok. Sometimes you just need that time to tune out. Listen to your mind and body. We all need time to mourn, heal and recover.
But at some point, you just need to snap out of it
We can’t let these distractions continue to occupy our minds and consume our time. Or it will lead us down the path to self-destruction. I know my grandma and uncle are watching me from above and do not want to see me unhappy and get stuck in all these distractions. So I snapped myself out of it, however difficult it was! It is my wish to be location independent career so that I don’t have to sacrifice time with family members for work!
As a modern Lady, we need to define a strategy or method that will empower us to continue showing up in the game and have the discipline to consistently work towards our goals, even if it is just a little step.
A method I use to cultivate self-discipline is Marisa Peers’ The 4 Secrets to build your self-discipline. It is true the difference between a successful person and an average person is “self-discipline”. But first, you need to ask yourself, what do you really really want? And then ask yourself what price would you pay to get what you want. Then you need to take action. The key to achieving all you want is self-discipline.
Marisa Peers’ 4 secrets of achieving self-discipline
1. Do the things you hate first. Delaying it will only give you excuses for not doing it. But by doing it first, you get it out of the way and you feel like a winner.
2. Take action every single day in the direction of your goal. Even on weekends and whether it is just 5 min. It doesn’t matter how big or small the action may be, what matters is your discipline in taking action every single day.
3. Delay gratification. See your distractions as your reward and delay it until you’ve completed your work. Take your reward after work. If you take a reward before your work, then you don’t feel the inspiration to do the work.
4. Praise yourself. Keep telling you how amazing you are as you are doing your work. Praise yourself and be proud of the work you have done. Everyone will love it and your blog post is phenomenal.
Over time it will become a habit. As Marisa says, “You make the habit and then the habits make you.”
What is your strategy to fight distractions and keep yourself focused on your goals?
Honest and well written post
Thank you! 🤍
I love #2, because that’s how I think we should pursue our goals. If it’s our true path, we won’t feel burnout from doing the same thing every day. I know I can exercise every day and not feel like it’s a chore (even though the actual getting started can feel discouraging sometimes). Thanks for this post!
Yes totally!! Even if we just sit there and stare at blank page for 5min right?! Haha… thank you so much for reading Stuart, means the world to me!! 🙏🏼