I recently had an epiphany.
Our foyer desperately needs wallpaper.
Like, how could we have gone this long with barren walls? Why didn’t any of our friends tell us how sub-par our entrance was? Has the UPS guy been traumatized for years by this ghastly oversight?
It is my new obsession.
Soooo, as I sat down yesterday with my to-do list of training, upcoming launch, and presentation, not to mention bills and meal plans to tend to…
Naturally, I jumped on Google and typed “modern metallic gold wallpaper.”
Who am I kidding? I typed “m” and the phrase popped up because I’ve searched for it a dozen times in the last three days.
As I perused the results, an article about tying the room palette with rugs and furniture caught my attention.
Which had me search for “what wall color goes best with a blue rug?”
Which brought up images of blue rugs, much more beautiful than mine.
That resulted in epiphany #2: Our rug is all wrong for this area.
Which somehow got me on the Restoration Hardware site. Which immediately prompted me investigating dimensions and fabrics for outdoor furniture.
Which had me daydreaming about what our backyard could look like with a teak chaise sectional.
That had me scheming about how I could nonchalantly bring this up with my hubby and somehow make it seem like it was his idea.
Honestly, I’m not sure what happened next because all I can remember is that it was lunchtime and I hadn’t gotten a thing of importance done.
And at that moment, I was not so thrilled with my new obsession.
A half-day wasted, no progress on my projects, presentations, bills, or meal plans – mad at myself for completely squandering my time away.
Know what it’s like to waste a massive amount of time on things that aren’t important?
The struggle is real.
The truth is – distractions are fun. They’re familiar. They’re easier than doing the things that matter more.
But here’s the downside.
Although your latest “obsession” (aka: distraction) feels like it will give you a sense of accomplishment, it steals your joy when it’s not prioritized properly.
That’s because there are actually two types of priorities.
#1: The type that makes you feel accomplished and rewarded. (the stuff that lingers on your to-do list or is tied to your personal desires).
#2: The type that makes you feel good but can also be used as a procrastination tool to avoid priority type #1. (the stuff like the perfect wallpaper or outdoor furniture that you’re not even in the market for. what is wrong with me??)
So yes, your distractions are priorities too.
But not at the cost of your priorities that give you a sense of accomplishment.
The solution is to prioritize your distractions.
If you’re wondering “HOW??” – I’ve got three words for you.
Plan. For. Them.
When you know you have an hour during lunch, before dinner, or first thing in the morning to get lost on Instagram or search for bathing suits, you look forward to that time and can work around it.
When it’s not on your calendar like your next Zoom meeting, it’s all you can think about to take your mind off more pressing matters, like strategy and taxes.
So planning for distractions is your best weapon against them.
You can also use them as rewards by using the “if, then” strategy.
Like, if I work for 40 minutes on my presentation, then I have 20 minutes to stalk my ex’s new 20-something-year-old fling.
Ok, I might need 30 minutes for that. But you get the idea.
So, define how much time and when you’re planning for your distractions.
I promise it will help you stay on those tasks you really should be focusing on.
Because even distractions have to be prioritized.
You were meant for bigger things, a higher purpose, both in your life and in the lives of others. Don’t let distractions get in the way!
All my love,
Mridu
P.S. Want other valuable ways to get more done with fewer distractions? Join me on my upcoming free training: How To Take Charge Of All Your Demands And Distractions (even when you have like, no time). It’s next week and it’s going to be awesome. Sign up right here.
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