#AmReading Nir Eyal’s Indistractable
Nir Eyal is the author of Indistractable. This is a great book on how to control your attention.
Nir Eyal is the author of Indistractable. This is a great book on how to control your attention. Here are my top takeaways:
1. Create a plan for the day. The opposite of distraction is traction. Make a plan. This is about choosing your life and how you want to spend your day. If you want to spend it looking at cat memes, do it! But it should be a conscious choice, not an unchecked distraction.
2. Master your internal triggers. Check out Nir's video on what it means to be indistractable. To paraphrase, sneaky internal sensations like boredom, discomfort, and hunger are often about escape. Here's the thing: You're working from home. The fridge is there. Your kids or pets are there. The sun is out there. Don't participate in the Skinner Box experiment! These things do not need to trigger a response. Create a parking lot. Writing down the urge—I want to get a snack, I want to check on the kids, I want to see what the weather is, I want I want I want. Park the urge for 10 minutes. After 10 min if you still need/want that distraction, then go for it. But often the urge subsides and you're on a roll with your work. That's traction. It's very satisfying.
3. Make an “I am indistractable sign.” When I worked with Kevin Williams at Raincoast Books he had a sign on his office door that said, “If I am wearing a hat, I'm on a call.” That was a super effective visual cue that he was indistractable. Nir Eyal's book has a tear-out sign that is bright yellow. You pop it on your desk or monitor to notify peers that you are concentrating.
Speaking of distraction, which Dewey Decimal Number Are You?
The New York Public Library has a fun quiz and guide to the Dewey Decimal System. Are you a 060, a lover of rules and guidelines? Are you an 818 joker? Find out https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/12/10/dewey-quiz
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