What Pulls You to Distraction?
It seems no matter now much we try to stay focused on something, any one thing, our focus ends up being pulled by some type of distraction. From the time we open our sleep-laden eyes in the morning, we are met with birdsong and the sounds of the world around us coming back to life. Multiple distractions face us morning, noon, and night. Some of us may have even more than one preferred distraction.
We may lose track of what pulls our focus away from something we could be doing. Let’s take a look:
Dealing with a Totally Missing Morning Distraction
We already mentioned the birds singing outside, their morning chorus vying for attention with our own breathing, the blare of the alarm clock, or the increasing din of traffic. Our focus may be in getting out the door while not forgetting something important. Mornings can be difficult, as we look to get a warm drink of something caffeinated to help us on our way. Even on days off, we may be focused on cooking breakfast or reading the newspaper.
Ultimately, very few of us remember to take a moment to reflect on just how our morning goes. Before we know it, morning passes by with very little notice or appreciation. Do we consider what we have done or might still need to do with our time? Even if the purpose or focus goes off-kilter, can we recount our accomplishments? More importantly, are we grateful for the experience?
Is an Afternoon Siesta Part of the Distraction?
Then there is the midday meal, which we may choose to eat or not. As with the morning routine, if we are in the middle of a working day, we are kept very busy. Those of us dealing with one “boring” job can find any number of distractions that keep us mindless. If our job is an active one, whether it is working construction or in a library, being carefully mindful is the name of the game. However, many of us can feel the pull of wanting a little rest. This can be a natural part of our daily rhythm.
Do we ever get to indulge this urge to take an afternoon siesta? It may be something we do on days off, possibly, where we might go stretch out on the sofa or a hammock on a porch or under a tree and relax. We may find ourselves nodding off, as our body tries to assimilate the food from lunch or catches up to how much sleep our body really needs. This is a healing measure, one that we often fail to heed. One solution may be to take a “power nap” of ten or 15 minutes and indulge what our body is craving. Consider giving in to this distraction when possible, as it can help to both lessen stress and give us a fresher focus for the rest of the day.
Putting an End to the Nighttime Distraction
At the end of the day, what do you really want to focus on? What pulls your attention and adds to the sense of distraction you may experience? For many, television is the key; although the Internet must be a very close second. Whether you watch for only a 30-minute episode of the news or your favorite show, or choose to binge-watch multiple videos, many of us find quite a bit of distraction in the evening. Often, this particular nighttime distraction can cause us to stay up past our bedtime, adding to the effects of sleep deprivation we may be ignoring.
We may find darkness is our real time for illumination, in more ways than one. Rather than curse the darkness and partake of mindless distraction, use the time to seek inward lessons that are waiting for us in a more mindful way. What are are thankful for in the day that passed? What can we plan or look forward to in the day to come? What have we dealt with in our day that resonates in our body, both good and bad? How might we best heal the ill effects now, rather an ignoring them until we are really sick?
Distraction is a way for us to avoid so many important lessons that often pass us by. Taking the time to mindfully tend to ‘the power of three’ in any given day may help us realize the very ‘present’ we are given. Expressing gratitude for all that comes our way, positive and negative, can help us discard a heap of stress and invite more room in our lives for blessings.
