A technique against distractions

By reimagining an uncomfortable internal trigger, we can disarm it.

An excellent technique to deal with distractions is to give in to them when we are done with whatever we are doing.

Dissatisfaction handles our species’ advancements as much as its faults. When we get distracted, we seek to mitigate the discomfort of not knowing exactly what to do. The drive to relieve discomfort is the root cause of all our behavior, while everything else is a proximate cause.

Even when we think we’re seeking pleasure, we’re driven by the desire to free ourselves from the pain of wanting. Most people don’t like acknowledging the uncomfortable truth that distraction is always an unhealthy escape from reality.

Play can be part of any difficult task. Though the play doesn’t have to be pleasurable, it can free us from discomfort — which, let’s not forget, is the primary ingredient driving distraction.

Deliberateness and novelty can be added to any task to make it fun. Fun is looking for the variability in something other people don’t notice.

What will happen is that the discomfort will go away with the distraction. We can use a timer for it to receive the reward.

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[¹]: Nir Eyal (2019): Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life