Why We're Easily Distracted: Understanding Internal Triggers

This will not be a social media detox or dopamine fast. I have tried and can confidently say that abstinence alone is not a good solution. Even months after I have deleted most social media apps from my phone, I still pick it up multiple times for no reason as long as it’s within reach. I have a friend who got distracted clipping her toenails in the middle of work even after she decided to keep her phone away. It seems that in the absence of the mobile phone, we still find ways to distract ourselves. So, the question is, why do we get distracted in the first place? In this article I talk about internal triggers of distraction I have identified, how we can monitor these triggers, and how we can control them.

INTERNAL TRIGGERS OF DISTRACTION

For a long time I blamed my attention problems on external triggers of distraction. These are the distractions that originate from our surroundings–such as a notification sound from my phone which prompts me to check who texted, or the red circle on the app icon that I just can’t seem to ignore. What we need to pay closer attention to are the internal triggers of distraction. These are the emotions or feelings from within that prompt us to seek a distraction. Why do I feel the need to reach for my phone in the middle of work or watching a Netflix show?

One thing I have come to understand is that as humans, we do not like discomfort. When we feel cold, we wear a jacket to stay warm. When we are hungry, we eat to satisfy our hunger. With the rise in convenience, we have become incapable of tolerating even minor forms of discomfort. I get frustrated when my friend on the other end of phone call has a poor network connection. I close a web page if it takes over 5 seconds to load. To test my tolerance for discomfort, I challenged myself to sit still for 10 minutes: no phone, no TV, no music, just to sit. It was the longest 10 minutes of my life. ?This discomfort that drives us to seek a distraction can be triggered in multiple ways. I have experimented and identified four main triggers that apply to any activity.

• Procrastination

Procrastination is a sneaky villain in our daily lives. This habit of putting things off can make it difficult to get stuff done when we need to and makes us prone to distractions, especially with so many fun distractions around. Imagine having a big project due, but instead of working on it, you end up watching videos or texting friends, telling yourself you'll do it "later." Every time we choose something fun over work, it gets tougher to start working later. This can lead to rushing at the last minute, stress, and maybe not doing our best on tasks.

• Lack of a Clear Goal or Purpose

One reason I struggle to maintain focus throughout the tasks I begin is that I fail to set goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). I also fail to break the goals down into actionable steps. So even when I feel motivated to turn my life around, I realize that I do not know where to start. This is often an easy way for distraction to slip in. A great example of this is New Year's resolutions. A lot of people throw a bunch of wishes on a list without really thinking about why they want those things or breaking them down into actionable steps. Then, we're all surprised when we give up on these goals by the end of January.

• ?Lack of Proper Planning

After setting SMART goals and breaking them down into daily actionable steps, we must manage our time in a way that allows us to achieve our goals. In the past, I've made the mistake of adding every task to my to-do list, only to feel guilty when I couldn't complete them all. I have observed that whenever I fail to plan my day in sequence, my brain finds random things to do when I am supposed to be focusing on a particular task. It suddenly feels like the best time to wash the plates I have been ignoring in the sink for a little more time than I should. Merely throwing tasks on a to-do list might get some things done but there is a more effective way called time-boxing we will discuss.

• Easy, Boring, or Difficult Tasks

When an activity is too boring or too difficult beyond our abilities, our vulnerability to distraction increases. Maybe you go to work and do the same thing every day. You have done it many times you can probably do it with your eyes closed. When there is little excitement in an activity to trigger a dopamine release, we do not get the positive reinforcement we need to continue doing the activity. As a result, we are easily distracted by something more exciting–such as checking what a friend posted on Instagram from her vacation in Cancun. On the other hand, if a task is too difficult beyond our abilities and we have no idea how to solve the problem, we are more likely to find a distraction that is easier.

MONITORING INTERNAL TRIGGERS

We cannot provide solutions without knowing the cause of problem. It is only by monitoring these triggers over a period that we can begin to manage them. In the book, Indistractible, the author outlines ways in which we can monitor the internal triggers of distraction. I will discuss the first four I find relevant to this article.

1. Look for the discomfort that precedes the distraction, focusing in on the internal trigger. This first and crucial step is about paying attention to the reason why you feel the need to distract yourself. Are you procrastinating? Is the task too boring or too difficult beyond your abilities? Are the instructions to complete the task unclear? Do you not have a clear and detailed plan for the day?
2. Write down the trigger: After you identify why you are seeking the distraction, write it down even if you choose to give in to the distraction after. This can be a short note such as feeling anxious, having a craving, feeling restless, or thinking you are incompetent. If you do this over a week, you will be able to identify the main reasons why you are easily distracted.
3. Explore your sensations: Instead of immediately giving in to the distraction when you feel like it, try to understand the why you feel that way and sit still for 10 minutes. Usually, the urge passes after a while. Practicing this over time reduces your urge to reach for your phone or other mode of distraction whenever you get the trigger. If after the 10 minutes you still feel the need to distract yourself, you may go ahead.
4. Beware of liminal moments: Liminal moments are the transitions from one activity to another throughout our day–such as checking our phone at a red light or when moving from one meeting room to another. These few seconds or minutes we decide to distract ourselves can be problematic. The distraction can stall the mental preparation needed for the next task usually leading to a lack of focus. You are also likely to keep scrolling even after the next activity has begun.

MANAGING INTERNAL TRIGGERS

To begin taking control of our time we must start doing less of things that distract us and doing more of the things that improve our focus.

• Understanding why we avoid tasks

Whether due to fear, boredom, or overwhelm, reducing procrastination starts with understanding why we avoid tasks. Minimizing distractions, such as turning off notifications or creating a dedicated workspace, can also enhance concentration. Lastly, practicing mindfulness and self-compassion can help us overcome the guilt associated with procrastination, making it easier to get back on track.

• Clearly define your personal goals, work goals, and relationship goals.

Break these goals into actionable steps such that when you sit down to start working, you do not wonder what to do. An example: I want to finish work by 3pm today. To begin, I have to identify what work I have to do today. Prioritise them into what I must do today, what will be nice to do, and could be done tomorrow. And then I can begin working on each task, each with its own requirements and breakdowns. I am more likely to achieve this goal, or get close enough to it, by breaking it down into actionable steps.

• Practice proper time management

Time-boxing is a technique where every single hour of your day is accounted for, including sleep, entertainment time and personal development. Scrolling on social media is not a bad thing when you have allocated time for it and completed other planned tasks. I disliked this technique when I started using it because it forced me to focus on the current task even when I would have liked to play some FIFA on my PlayStation. But it felt great whenever I completed my tasks and enjoyed my video game at the right time.

• Find ways to make a boring or difficult task fun!

In chapter 7 of Indistractible, the author talks about reimagining the task. He elaborates how finding ways to make a task fun can introduce novelty which helps to keep us focused. A good example of this is Duolingo. This is a language app that makes learning fun by using gamification strategies, such as earning points for correct answers, levelling up, and daily streaks. If we come up with deliberate ways in which we can transform our daily activities into fun challenging tasks, we can reduce our exposure to the internal triggers of distraction that stern from boring, easy or difficult tasks.

CONCLUSION

The main theme of this article has been “WHY”. Why are we so easily distracted? Is it because we procrastinate? Is it because we do not have a clear goal or purpose with actionable steps? Is it because we lack the proper planning and time management skills to carry out our tasks to completion? Or is it because the activities we partake in daily are too boring, too easy, or too difficult?

We can begin to identify these triggers by noticing and writing them down every time we feel the need to seek a distraction. We can improve our tolerance for this discomfort by exploring the reason why we feel that way instead of immediately reaching for a distraction. And lastly, we can limit our vulnerability to distractions by being aware of the little distractions we seek in the moments between switching tasks.

To manage these triggers, we can take steps to minimize procrastination, set clearer goals and break them down into actionable steps. We can use the time-boxing technique to improve our time management and planning. And we can find ways to introduce fun and novelty into our daily tasks.