Distractions

• Basics, getting it done, distractions

• Social media // digital
• News
• Phone
• Email
• Youtube
• Pornhub
• Music
• TV series
• Group chats
• Dating apps
• Fashion online

• People // physical
• Events
• Girlfriend
• Delivery service

• Summary
• Summary SL (Distrakcije)

How do you get things done on a daily basis? No magic. Three simple principles:

1. take care of the basics (routine)
2. get it done (focus)
3. avoid/ignore distractions

The basics aka sleep, eat, kaken, workout, nap, meditate: you do this on autopilot, routinely, no questions asked.

Getting it done: that is where your focus is.

Distractions: garbage, you should eliminate. It takes your time, energy, but without any effect.

Distractions? Here goes the list.

Social media

How many platforms are there, trying to steal your attention, steal your time? Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn?

Those can be great tools for hunting, stay connected, reach out to your audience, but you need to be extremely careful with the news feed. It is 95% garbage, that does not concern you. You still scroll it, because it is just so easy and brainless. And you need a break from your boring job anyway.

Tactic 1: delete, don't use any of it, be garbage info free, focus on the physical world and your mind.

Tactic 2: pick your favourite platform (not all of them), setup "not that easy" access. No direct apps on your phone, make your browser remind you of a restricted access, force yourself to manually enter login info.

When you go through "more difficult" login process, it will remind you, do I really need this right now? Or should I be doing something else?

Using Tactic 2, I stopped using Facebook on my phone, and I rarely access via PC.

If you work with data, you need breaks. Using social media as a break means even more data, even more screen time for your eyes. What about having a non-data break?

• stand up
• stretch
• walk 10 steps
• push up 10x
• pull up 5x
• open a window, have fresh air
• have a glass of water with lemon & salt
• have some nuts/fruits/vegetables
• wash your coffee/tea cup

News

A beautiful quote from Getting Things Done (revised edition 2015). The rise of digital technology, the 24-7 world: "Nothing is new, except how frequently it is."

With other words: it is all just garbage. They try to grab your attention by updating constantly, reviewing the same shit all over again.

Check the news, if you want to know something specific, but don't make it a daily, or even worse, an hourly habit.

Phone

Smart phone is a wonderful tool, unfortunately attention & time killer for many.

Few tips:
(1) turn off or aeroplane mode, when you sleep

(2) on mute, out of your visual reach, when you work with your brain; check for any messages at your convenience

(3) using your phone as a workstation? turn off visual display notifications: call, message, chat, email

(4) primarily usage: communication, notes, reminders

(5) other useful tools: navigation, weather, file access, internet browser, camera, alarm, calculator, online banking

(6) remove all entertainment apps (music, Youtube, social media, news, games); your phone is always with you, you cannot afford to have temptations in your pocket 24/7, one click away; when your energy is low, those apps will eat you up, day by day

(7) let's say you award yourself with a little bit of Youtube on a toilet; don't install the app, access via browser (if it is too easy, you click the rewarding app impulsively)

Email

Email is a great communication tool. It is much less abused compared to chat applications, because it is not as direct and chatty.

Two things:

• Manage your subscription. Do you frequently receive emails, you don't care about? Unsubscribe.
• Turn off desktop notification. Check inbox at your convenience. When you are ready to process it.

Youtube

Youtube is dangerous. Content from A to Z; funny, garbage to useful. Always accessible with internet connection. Super easy to blow tons of hours on the platform.

Bullet proof method: delete the app on your phone, block browser access on your phone and PC. Never look back.

I tried zero Youtube policy, then I was like: chill, you don't need to ban all the shit. Watching a clip from Africa wildlife, sports highlights, shoe polish video, is not going to harm you. Also: Youtube comment section can be hilarious; why not have a laugh?

Part of being productive is also knowing how to relax, to reward yourself, forget about chasing your goals. A bit of relaxation, a bit of randomness on a daily basis: it is completely natural and healthy.

There is a difference between having a break vs having a distraction.

• You finished an article, you are going to reward yourself with 2 Youtube videos: a break.
• During an article, you watch a Youtube video every 5 minutes: a distraction.

My limiting approach:
I allow myself relaxing with Youtube once per day, on the phone, when on a toilet. No Youtube app, access via browser, to prevent binge watching throughout a day.

This can be a 10 min session, or 45 min session (when I don't feel my legs anymore because of the toilet seat). Fuck it, that is my time of the day.

I tried limiting it extra by setting up a timer on the phone, but it is too much pressure. Instead of enjoying my Youtube, I am nervously monitoring the countdown. Like: "Oh, how much time left to relax!?"

Pornhub

There are people/books preaching against porn content, against solo play.

We believe, if you are a healthy boy/chica, it is a natural behaviour. You see a fine ass on the screen? You like it.

I tried banning both to myself: porn + fap. There was a lot of unnecessary tension. Instead of focusing on my work, I was focused on not fucking up my ban. Rubbish. Much better version: focus on your thing, forget about Pornhub. Then surprise yourself, and blow it up to the sky. Hehe.

Consume it with caution. Have a plan and self-control. Not anytime, anywhere, how many times you want. You have got stuff to do, you don't have time to jerk off 3x per day. Maybe not even once per week. When you have got kids, maybe not even once per year. Hehehe.

Classical way to go, before you take a shower. Not during the shower, because too much fucking water goes to waste. If you don't feel like it, no problem, next shower is your next chance.

To spice it up, try adding a bit of twist: 1 fap = 100 pushups first.

• do not overstimulate
• you don't need content, it also works with your imagination
• go pornless, fapless a month per year, to reset, test your willpower

Music

Music has the power to get you relaxed, get you in a better mood, get you motivated and hyped. Tired? Blast some music, it will boost your morale, push you go further.

Be careful with overuse. Modern devices make music available everywhere, anytime. Cooking with music, shitting with music, having a shower with music?

Doing everything with music, it slows you down. You are in a dream land, it takes away your focus.

How I deal with it?

• no music on the go
• only at the PC, but not until 12am

You are fresh in the morning, you don't need music as a booster.

Many of us use Youtube as a music player, because it is simple, free, everything is searchable. It can work, but can be tricky.

You just want a song The Kelly Family — Roses Of Red, but Youtube wants you to watch and will suggest: fashion week Miami, bikini model show, twerking tutorial, spring try on haul, and other boob-ass related topics.

TV series

Most of us have been there. A new TV show pops up. You get excited, you watch an entire season in a single sitting.

My Dunajska neighbour David was once explaining to me, how TV series are awesome. Study? Eat? Sleep? You can always multi task with a laptop on the side. Half of the brain studies, half watches the TV show.

Time to get real. It is fucking garbage, and you are wasting your fucking time. If you are okay with it, please proceed.

To watch an entire series, it takes 100, 200, 300 hours or even more.

Dude Alex made a website: calculate your total time spent watching TV shows.

Instead of watching few series per year: you can read books and gain knowledge, open a business, cycle around Europe, record a music album.

If you crave video entertainment: watch a movie, blow 2 hours instead of 200.

We all know, you are both boring, you have got nothing better to do than "Netflix and chill" with your girlfriend. Maybe, sometimes. Alone? Never.

Group chats

The amount of bullshit, produced in group chats, is on another level. It is a never ending story. Your phone vibrates from morning till midnight. Then try get something done!?

Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Even in reality, group meetings are often just one big noise. One on one conversations are much more focused.

Instead of a group chat, use email. Less emojis, pictures; more text, more topic based.

Dating apps

Swiping chicas is another never ending story. There is always a better looking, more interesting, one with a finer butt.

And then you dream, how you are going to end up together, la-la-la, instead of doing your shit.

Is it a hunting season? Alright: (1) hunt; (2) catch; (3) delete.

Fashion online

Fashion online: shopping made easy. It is too easy.

I live with female flatmates, many of them, and there is a cheap clothes package coming every fucking week.

Chicas don't realize, they are hooked on a mobile screen.

They wake up, they check clothes.
Sip coffee, check clothes.
Tired, check clothes.
Not sure what to do, check clothes.
Going to bed, check clothes.

Ditch the app, go back to physical shopping. Regain control.

People

People talk too much.

They bought new clothes, a dog did a trick last week, they went skiing to Santa Barbara for a weekend, neighbour has a new wife, Johnny's girlfriend is jealous of his previous girlfriend, there is a 5% discount at McDonald's with a coupon, but only after 3pm.

So much information, all garbage.

Many times it is just easier to hide/avoid than say "Hi", to prevent people from randomly filling up your head with trash.

If you are not a salesman, talking is a waste of energy. Nothing gets done by opening your mouth (well, there are some exceptions, hehehe).

General rule: no talking before 12am. Morning hours are strictly action hours.

Some garbage chit-chat is alright, we are social creatures, but limit it. Ask yourself: how often, how many people to chat with? If you have a routinely 15 min coffee break with your buddy after lunch, that is alright. But not 3x per day.

How I fell into trap not a long time ago:

• late breakfast, taka-taka
• midday coffee, taka-taka
• early dinner, taka-taka

Easily, up to 3 hours per day, for random talks. 1 hour Youtube session on a toilet (plus other platforms). And I thought how productive I was.

Be careful, easy with the daily chat sessions. It soon becomes a habit. You have no idea, where your time goes.

Your mind is curious by default, your mind wants to know everything. Take advantage of it, serve it useful and not garbage info.

Events

Birthdays, holidays, parties, vacation, meetings, funerals, promotions, gatherings, weddings.

Too many of them, you need to filter.

The worst: extended, all day long events, from morning till evening. I should start charging my attendance for that. Why can't we do it in a couple of hours?

Classical event: buildup, top, ending.

• Buildup: people start gathering, everybody is happy to see each other after a long time, excitement goes up
• Top: an event reaches a top level of energy; laughing, sharing stories: full mode on
• Ending: people get tired, empty, they don't know what to talk about anymore; everybody sitting at the spot, waiting for it to be over

Possibly the BEST strategy to handle an event: COME among first (buildup), LEAVE among first (top). Clip out the ending part. People get tired, nothing happens anymore (apart from few people getting wasted).

It is a skill: show up, do your thing, leave — without unnecessary extensions.

If you go all in, or find yourself stuck at the "ending" level, a little advice from Charlie:
"Liquor makes people more interesting."

Stay away from techno events. Starting on Friday, hardly catching up your shift on Monday. Expensive. (Classical event graph does not apply.)

Girlfriend

Life without females on this planet would be, hmm, dry? To live on a "dude only" planet? Hell no!

Extremely wonderful creatures. The problem with wonderful things? They cost.

Chicas need attention.
Chicas want your time.
Want to chat online, when you are not around.
Want to go on vacation.
Want to go shopping.
Want a weekend getaway, twice per week.
Want to watch TV series.
Want to have a dog, but you take care of it.
Want to have a hobby.

They want tons of shit. They don't want to do it alone, but together.

You are a busy dude, you have got stuff to do, you cannot fool around whenever she wants. You let her run the game, boy you are in trouble. Anything ever gets done?

Discuss, how often should you see each other. Don't go too much into detail. Roughly, to set some expectation.

• higher frequency, lower minutage
• lower frequency, higher minutage
• combo of both

3x per week? 1x per 10 days? 1x per month? Some need more freedom, some can't be alone for more than 10 minutes (pathetic). Anything can work.

Test different game plans. Not going well? Change the strategy.

Maintaining a distance is great to keep the fire going, not to get tired of each other after 3 months. It is a valid long term strategy.

Excusez moi, for my biased writing, throwing the dark light only on females. Many times, unfortunately, dudes are even worse. Needy, crave attention like little kids, annoying as fuck.

Delivery service

How annoying, when you try to focus on something, and there is a delivery at your door ringing the bell aggressively?

Do you have flatmates, share a workspace with people, who like to order every piece of garbage at your door? They are never at home, to pick it up, or they just forget?

Ask them to stop, because it is annoying.

It is not about those 2 minutes, which it takes to get your package. It is about killing a moment.

We are trying to focus here, and you are ruining it with your packages.

Summary

Modern world is extremely comfortable. It offers variety of tools. Everything is accessible two clicks away: anytime, anywhere. That is great, until it starts killing your focus, your time.

• delete/remove
• avoid/ignore
• block/limit

You don't need to ban everything, sure hell you need to limit.

Distractions, top of the list: (1) social media; (2) phone; (3) chatty people.

Not everything is a distraction. You need breaks along your day. You need to know how to relax, forget about goals, reward yourself for doing a great job.

Mostly working with data? Have non-data breaks.