For the past few weeks, I’ve noticed myself getting more distracted. Five minutes into drawing or writing, I’d find myself clicking into Twitter.

Or while looking for music on YouTube, I’d end up scrolling for 10 minutes.

The more I got distracted from my work, the more I wanted to figure out why. How could I get rid of the itch, and focus on what I wanted to do?

Hoping to find a solution, I bought Nir Eyal’s Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.

This was a book I had avoided for years, thinking I knew all there was to being distracted. Just don’t be distracted, silly.

But the sudden alt-tabs into Twitter and impulsive message checking told me otherwise. I needed to get to the root of the problem, so I could become an Indistractable Artist.

The article and insights are based on Eyal’s book, which goes in-depth into reclaiming focus and staying indistractable. If you want to read it, here’s an affiliate link. Thanks for supporting me!

First, what are distractions?

Technology, social media, junk food. These are things that distract us from what we really want for ourselves. We know healthier is better, but we say “one more slice of pizza”. We want to be productive and succeed, but say “one more game”.

These are the everyday distractions we’re familiar with. But Eyal points out that these are proximate causes, not the root cause of the distraction.

For example, in a game of pool, what makes the colored ball sink? Is it the white cue ball, the cue stick, or the player themselves?

The cue and cue ball are proximate causes, while the player is the root cause.  Similarly, video games, social media, junk food are proximate causes.

But how is checking Twitter every 10 seconds not a root cause? Obviously it’s Twitter that’s distracting me, not anything else, right?

Well, it turns out that distraction isn’t about the distraction itself, but how we respond to being distracted.

Discomfort: Why we get distracted

As time passed, I noticed a pattern to my distractions.

Whenever I was…

• unchallenged by an artwork
• entering a new stage of the drawing
• or reminded of the time

… I was more likely to get distracted.

That was odd. I would have notifications off and keep my phone on the other side of the room. Yet, I still felt this itch to hop on social media.

While I was minimizing external triggers, I wasn’t paying attention to my internal triggers.

Internal triggers cue us from inside: your stomach growls so you get a snack, you feel bored so you play a game.

In my case, I wasn’t getting distracted by Twitter; I was using Twitter as a distraction to escape the discomfort of boredom.

Becoming Indistractable

Though coming to grips with the root source was difficult (after all, you have to face your flaws), it was also the first step to becoming indistractable.

When I realized the reason why I got distracted, I was able to step back and analyze my urges. Instead of instantly giving into the craving, I asked myself: “do I really need this distraction? What good will it do for me?”

When I realized I was about to get distracted, I was able to step back and analyze my urges Click To Tweet

Unsurprisingly, it worked. Urges are impulsive, done in the heat of the moment. When we look back at our moments of distraction, we realize that we could have prevented many of them through awareness.

Another thing that helped keep distraction away was to take purposeful breaks. Playing video games isn’t a distraction when you plan to do it.

Not only do you energize yourself, but you separate work from play. I no longer associate my laptop or iPad with YouTube. That’s reserved for my iPhone, which I keep out of reach.  

If you’re ready to become an Indistractable Artist, I put together a worksheet for you. It guides you step-by-step to understand your distractions and urges, so you can overcome them. The download has examples from personal experiences too!

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Remember, we’re aiming for small, consistent improvement. As you encounter your inner triggers, write them down and analyze your feelings. What discomfort are you feeling? What distraction calls to you?

Then, take action to invigorate yourself rather than give in to the urges. Take a purposeful break, or switch tasks and break the monotony.   

Conclusion

“Being indistractable means striving to do what you say you will do. Indistractable people are as honest with themselves as they are with others.”

Nir Eyal

By coming to grips with our inner triggers and understanding our urges, we can better adjust and overcome distractions.

If the article helped you, feel free to share it with a creative friend who might need it! Let me know what distracts you, and how you’ll be taking steps to become indistractable.