What Distracts You?
Barbara Hemphill
Vision Accelerator - Helping Others Pursue Entrepreneurship - Founder at Productive Environment Institute
Research shows that the average person checks their cell phone every 10 minutes! Talk about a distraction! Many of our clients have been diagnosed with ADHD (as have I), but whether you have, we live in an ADHD world. Distractions are everywhere! Isn't it interesting that virtually all media has built-in distractions? (I wonder if it started when television introduced the "crawl line" at the bottom of the screen?)
Distractions are clutter! Sometimes something we intended as a positive ends up being a distraction. For over three decades, I had a close relationship with a friend. Throughout the years, I collected evidence of that relationship which I displayed throughout my home. Last year, when I began working with Dorena Kohrs (www.SpaceDoula.com), I realized that many of those items were a distraction because I felt sad every time I looked at them since we no longer communicate. Several of the gifts were there because of our relationship, not because they were something I would have chosen. One of them was a beautifully framed photo of dried flowers which I love. It remains.
One of the fundamental principles of Productive Environment is "Often you have to give up "good," to get "best." "Good" is often a distraction.
In Luke, we read about Jesus visiting Mary and Martha: Mary sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken from her."
How I struggle with that passage!
I read a story of Martin Luther, who said, "I have so much to do today that I'm going to need to spend three hours in prayer in order to be able to get it all done." That sounds ridiculous, and it took me decades to realize that the more time I spend in prayer, the more peace I feel, and the more I get done. The only explanation? Isaiah 55:6 has this answer: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
What distracts you? Here's a challenge to consider: Identify one "good" distraction and put a plan in place to replace it with His "best!"
P.S. The photo is a picture of "The Doris Chair" named by Alfred after my mother for whom it was purchased. Unfortunately, she died before she was able to use it, but I use it every morning!