How to Push Past Distractions to Think and Thrive

Our fast-paced world is full of distractions, many of which divert our thoughts and attention away from our health and life fulfillment. Let’s explore how to push past distractions to live and thrive.

Your thoughts can be distracted by unplanned phone calls and visits, by notification beeps from your phone, and by the urge to continuously check your email. You can even be distracted by underlying thoughts of fear and anxiety that creep into your active thoughts/actions and thwart your forward motion.

Distractions cause us to lose our focus and thought momentum. Fortunately, we are not obligated to address each and every distraction. We can even prevent distractions.

Learning to focus empowers you. You are free to say, “Excuse me, but I need to focus on this. Let me get back to you” You can make strong self-commitments to unplug at certain times to be away from distractions and allow yourself to think, focus, and be present.

Why is Uninterrupted Thinking So Important?

Thinking is recharging. It’s not just a mental activity, it is a connection with the universal intelligence whose nature it is to direct you on the path to life. Distractions can sever this connection.

You need to think about your health. It energizes you to address health challenges. You need to think about the welfare of your family and implement solutions. You need to think beyond the many falsehoods being propagated in the world today.

Life requires planning and preparation. Case and point, we witnessed the sudden advent of COVID, which caught so many people off guard. It impressed upon us that financial preparedness, taking control of our own health, and having strong family and community relations safeguard us.

Uninterrupted thinking allows you to see what is really before you.

It’s essential to look beyond the cultural norms that you see are not working in your favor. You can free yourself from unsafe norms andlive a lifestyle that actually brings you health and happiness.

You have to take time to think about things and prevent distractions that keep you from going into deep thought.The modern, fast-paced deception we see, convinces you you don’t have time to stop and think. This causes you to rush ahead without some serious considerations for safeguarding your life.

It’s essential to observe results using common sense to evaluate realities and make decisions based on what is real. You literally have to summon the willpower to do what will preserve your life when you’ve been programmed to do the opposite. Thinking generates the energy you need to do this.

What happens to you when your thoughts are distracted?

When your thoughts are interrupted you lose focus, and your energy is diverted and sometimes lost. Your momentum stops.

“… new research finds that an unexpected event also appears to clear out what you were thinking. This function of the brain served an important role when humans could be confronted with danger and needed a fight or flight response, but today it has negative consequences.

‘Clearly, this happens all day long to us,’ says Aron. ‘We’re concentrating at the office, and things go ‘cheap.’ We get distracted, but that’s everyday life. Unfortunately, there’s a big cost to that when it comes to focus, and it’s increasing in this world.’”(1)

Thoughts are energy and distractions disperse and divert energy and then you have to start at square one to generate that energy again.

How You Can Prevent Distractions

Prevent distractions by:

Turning off notifications. The beeps were designed to grab your attention. You can’t hear them without wondering what they’re about and feeling the urge to answer them. So, at those times you want and need to think, contemplate, gain understanding, and plan implementation, turn them off.

Eliminating multitasking. Attempt to focus well on each task as you do it.

Going to a private place, door closed, a sign indicating not to disturb you.

Not allowing your own thoughts to distract you. Make sure any other things you need to do are taken care of and you quiet any worries in order to focus on the matter/work at hand.

Take breaks to remain fresh.

“Astudyfrom Emory University found that 20 minutes of daily meditation is associated with activity and connectivity changes in the region of the brain that controls attention, allowing you to disengage from distraction.”(1)

What are the benefits of pushing past distractions

A woman I work with recently shared with me that she went to her Neurologist to be screened for dementia. She is a bright, successful lawyer, but has been having bouts of forgetfulness and problems with concentrating.

After her assessment, the doctor told her her brain was sharp and cleared her from having dementia. He added that she is probably just suffering from multi-tasking and having so many distractions in her life, which are known to cause these symptoms.

That speaks volumes.

Thinking in a focused way, and being mindful in each moment rewards you with clarity, understanding, and self-assuredness, along with preventing fog and forgetfulness.

Your work benefits from a higher quality of work being done

Your family relationships benefit as you give your full attention to your interactions while ignoring the various screen prompts.

Your health and welfare benefit as you block out distractions to think and apply life-giving solutions.

You want to generate energy for life, and thinking helps you do this in so many ways. Make an effort to think and focus, distraction-free.

Here in the Village of Peace, we value and encourage distraction-free time for thinking and generating energy for life-enhancing solutions to spring forth and be applied in our daily lives.

Cover photo by Shahram Anharil courtesy of Unsplash