Try to approach the model as a scientist (e.g., experimental) vs. Indistractable model: (1) must start with mastering the internal triggers (2) make time for traction (can't call something a distraction if you don't know what it distracted you from) (3) hack back external triggers (many tips & tricks for this) (4) prevent distraction with pacts (pre-commitments) Work-related tasks can be the most dangerous kind of distractions (e.g., slack, email) The majority of distraction is not the things we think of (e.g., video games) but rather other forms of procrastination (e.g., cleaning up your desk or doing email). The time you plan to waste is not wasted time. Moralizing and medicalizing distraction is not productive. It comes from intent and includes things that move you closer to your values and help you become the kind of person you want to become.ĭistraction (the opposite) pulls you further away from goals and becoming the person you want to become. Traction is an action that pulls you toward what you said you were going to do. (Both end with the same six letters).ĭistraction is not something that happens to us - it's an action we take. The opposite of distraction is not focus.

We must differentiate between the proximal cause and root cause Technology is not the 'root cause' of distraction.ĩ0% of the time we are distracted, the root cause is inside of us → call these internal triggers (which are often uncomfortable)Įmotions we seek to escape lead to distraction.

People have been complaining about distraction for over 2,500 years (e.g., Plato talked about the tendency to do things against our better interest) Wanted to find a 'tech-positive' approach to dealing with distraction 'Research is me-search' → Nir wanted to develop this skillset to be a better writer and father tried getting rid of his phone and internet but still found himself distracted and decided to dig into the topic more deeply. Why focus on distraction? Why does 'abstinence' from technology not work?

The indistractable