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How to Not Become Distracted?

2 pointslifeplusplus2 comments
On HN

Scenario:

I am working on something. I need to look up a resource someone suggested on reddit. I go to reddit. I find there is a reply notification, I read it, read bit of context. An idea occurs, I go research it quickly. First click is trash. Go back to search results, look at another site, come across some new vocabular, look it up. Finally I think I'm onto something. I reply with my new findings and add to discussion. 25+ mins have passed... I click submit. Now I am feeling like I forgot something.... hmmmm oh well where was I, look at open windows... open the program I was working in... oh I have to do this, so where was I in this... oh yea resource on reddit. Go to reddit again, find the resource, it's a whole essay... but I'm already spent mentally by aforementioned research try to read the essay... too much info exhausted. Leave the computer to take a break, come back, ugh they essay is still there.

Distraction doesn't only steal time, but also energy.

Here is the problem, any strict regimen don't work more than few days. I could be like NO (INSERT ALL SITES) between 11-5... but I WILL need them. And it makes me dead inside to have to do this. I know people who can follow any regimen and feel fine, in fact they look forward to it. They are "TRUE" adults in a sense. For me to follow strict regimen is like being trapped, poor, sorry, helpless, and hopeless person. Not fun, aggravating and depressing.

So either I need to get on board with extreme measures or I need to learn another way to still access sites but stay focused on what I came to do.

Honestly I think my mind is thinking way too many thinks and whenever any of those things come up brain is happy to finally process them. I need to somehow focus on way fewer things, so even if I come across other things, I'll be like yea great but not interested right now.

How do you manage if you do?

I read about using timed approach, too much friction to set a timer each time i search on google.

Comments

Notes and intent.

Meaning you open up notepad and you type in "okay I need to find x" put that on your other screen or put your browser in a window so you could see the notepad window. You are just looking for that one thing to change the x into a word or a sentence. Once you have that thing then go back and do whatever you were doing.

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