Focus and distraction. Two sides of the productivity coin. If we are never distracted, then we are robotic. We go through life blindly doing the things we think we’re supposed to. If we are too distracted, we fumble around. I’m certain you can find 100 articles on improving your productivity through better focus.
This post isn’t about productivity, it’s about the power of distraction.
Last year I wrote a post about the power of NOT having goals and now I’m going to sing the praises of being distracted, to being less “productive,” or should I should say less productive towards a goal. (Stay with me, I really am going to relate these 2 things.)
Most of us have some kind of goal; the older and more settled we are, the more specific they might become, e.g. if you have children, you might start saving for their education. And most of us have plenty of distractions. But do we have “productive distractions.” The kind that fill us up instead of wear us down.
Check out this TED talk by Kathy Shaloub on the Power of Distraction.
Photo credit: my friend Jane from her FB page, the NewYorker, Walsh
What do you think?