The other night I was sitting downstairs working on my laptop at the dining room table. I was consumed with work related to Crazy Dad Life and punching away furiously on my keyboard. A noise suddenly broke my concentration and I looked up to find my oldest daughter walking steadily toward me with an arm full of books.
“What up, baby?” I said.
Her reply shook me. I fully expected the skies to part and something catastrophic to rain down on my head.
She replied with a straight face, “I had to get away from my phone.”
It took a moment to register and my confusion was noticed as she immediately went on to explain, “I can’t concentrate with it. It’s a distraction.”
In that moment I felt pride, but also a tinge of exasperation. After all, what took her so long to figure this out? In fact, I’ve been telling her this for some time. But, I was happy she ultimately “got it” and distanced herself from the device, even if for just one night’s homework session. I immediately offered her a seat next to me at the table and we went on to work together for the next couple of hours, each silently enjoying the company.
So, what does this mean to you?
There are lessons here that you should think about in your own life, business, or family situation. Sometimes you should step away for clarity (Tweet this!). Sometimes you have to take a break from whatever you are engaged with to dedicate time to something that requires more attention, or just to step away to gather yourself.
We are a multi-tasking society with an undying determination to handle things as they come in. Sometimes you need to isolate yourself and commit to the driving need in front of you. Or, sometimes you just have to take a break and detach.
I used to go to the library to study when I was in college. I didn’t need to be at the library but I went because it worked for me. Being in that environment was conducive to learning and allowed me to dedicate my efforts to the task at hand. To this day, I still find myself setting up in an environment that will help me complete what I’m doing efficiently and effectively. If that means cutting off technology or removing myself from a particular situation, so be it. People do this all the time when they go to a place like Starbucks to “get in the mood” for work.
Stepping away from distractions is not limited to finding somewhere to focus on work that needs to be done. Sometimes you simply need to take a break. You may find yourself working for extended periods of time trying to hit that elusive line of “done”. Take a moment to recognize the futility of aimlessly driving forward and be courageous enough to step away.
I was recently working on a programming assignment with my youngest daughter and she was stuck. She was trying to figure out the logic and was becoming increasingly frustrated. I learned long ago during my days of programming that sometimes you just have to get up and walk around. Sometimes you have to revisit the next day. Sometimes you just have to take a timeout. That break allows your mind to reset and think fresh. There have been numerous times in the past where I would spend hours trying to debug a program only to solve it within 5 minutes after taking a brief break.
If you feel overwhelmed with distractions, whether it’s technology, TV, people nearby, or even your family, take the initiative to remove yourself from that environment. Find a place or time that you can dedicate what’s required to accomplish. Find a way to distance yourself from what is distracting you and position yourself for ultimate success.
Great post Jeff! One of the best things an artist can do while working is to step back and take a look at their work from a distance. It makes you shift your attention, get away from your work, and when you have a new perspective you will be more apt to “see” more than you did before.
This practice applies to any activity/art/project. When we’re so immersed into what we’re doing – we stop seeing it with fresh eyes. The fresh eyes sometimes are all that you need.
I’m one of those sneak away to Starbucks people ;). When you’re not in your normal element… your time is completely yours to manage and engage in the tasks at hand. Being at my desk, at home, etc. I’m always more likely to be distracted by other things.
Keep up the great content Jeff – love it!
That brings up a good question Crystal. As an artist, are you able to leave the creation for a day and come back to it, or do you lose your creative juices and the “moment” by stepping completely away like that?
Yes, I can leave things and then see what I think of them the next day or just in a few minutes. The fresh perspective I think keeps the work evolving and growing into what you want. You might be able to create the effects you want in one hour or many days… it just depends on what you’re looking for. Sometimes those “moments” are short lived and being able to keep the momentum going with a fresh look is key 😉
Oh, what a smart young lady. I wish we all could get away from those crazy phones for a while each day. They are wonderful, but can certainly be a nuisance.
I HATE to be sitting in a restaurant and look around you and so many people are not chatting with their table mates, but on their stupid phones. Aurghhhhhhhh!
Very true Betty. I actually catch my family doing it from time to time and try to put a stop to it. I look up and all four of us are sitting at the table and we are all looking at our phones. I feel so stupid. I put mine away and tell them they should do the same. It at least lasts until the food is ordered. 😉