Ever heard of a cat or dog being distracted by something that catches their attention, like a squirrel, and they lose focus? That happens to humans in business as well.
The problem is when we are doing work, multitasking and distractions come into play. We may not even realize or notice we're a victim of distraction. We commonly feel like we're getting work done and being productive when we are not.
Did you know that when we are distracted or multitasking, that takes our IQ down to that of an eight-year-old child and increases errors?
1Source: https://www.talentsmarteq.com/articles/Multitasking-Damages-Your-Brain-and-Your-Career,-New-Studies-Suggest-2102500909-p-1.html/
We need to remove as many distractions as possible from our day. We're never going to get rid of them all, we're not robots, and there are things we can't control.
Here is an overview of where distraction may occur in business.
Staff - Staff coming into your office, calling, or messaging.
Training - You can be interrupted to provide training for a staff member that needs your help.
Meetings – Meetings can be distracting when trying to do other work and trying to do other work can also distract you from hearing what is being said.
Once distracted, we feel like we're back at 100 percent, yet the brain hasn't quite refocused yet. Did you know that it takes 23 minutes for the brain to refocus on a task when you're away from it?2
2Source: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_94.htm#:~:text=How%20Long%20Does%20It%20Take,10%20IQ%20points%20%5B2%5D.
Customers - People joke that life would be great if it weren’t for dealing with customers. Customers are our lifeblood, and it is paramount that we care for them as it keeps our business running.
We don't always know the challenges we are going to face, and they may leave us feeling like we're going in ten different directions, distracted.
As individuals, we have lots of distractions that may include:
Gadgets - Your phone, computer, apps, email, texts, and notifications. Some devices or apps are great and helpful but can still be distracting.
Environment/Noise - Neighbours or workers is something you come across occasionally in an office environment but working from home increases this distraction especially when in a zoom meeting.
Social Media- Have you experienced scrolling for a few minutes, then you’re still there an hour later? I've done it myself. Social media is essential if you use it for business. However, we need to structure our time on social media and not go down a rabbit hole.
World Events - The Russian invasion of Ukraine, Covid 19, high gas prices, or climate change discussions are important world occurrences we have no control over. They touch us, some more so than others.
Mental Fog – Often, fog is caused by too much going on in your head. We realize we're not focused because of something happening at your child's school, someone not well in the family, or a big event. It makes mental noise when it distracts you from what you are doing.
Money - Most of the distractions around money are typically negative. It'd be wonderful to experience the distraction because of winning a million dollars. Unfortunately, much of the time, the distraction around money is the scarcity or resolving what to do with money.
Vacation - Surprised to see vacation on my list of distractions? Vacation is something that we think of as unique or rejuvenating. It's beautiful, yes, and if you're like me, you're due for a vacation.
Think about what you do before and after your time away before we're racing and working on getting things done. We're, trying some of that multitasking that we shouldn't do. We can get distracted from the focus of what we need to do. When we come back, not only are we catching up, but our brains might still be on holiday. We work to get ourselves back into focus on what we need to accomplish.
These are some individual distractions that create challenges for us. Many of these distractions crossover into other areas as well.
The following are where we often see crossover distractions occur with Family, including:
Work/business - When we're at home, we might feel like we should be at work. We might feel like we should be at home at work. That distraction could also become mental fog if the situation is dire enough.
Commitments - Responsibilities we're not used to having on our plate, such as picking the kids up at school, taking the pet to the vet, or driving someone to an appointment, are distractions we must manage. If you have family commitments on your mind, they will prevent you from being able to focus.
Guilt/Overwhelm- You might suffer from guilt related to family tasks. It’s human nature. You might feel guilty being with a client when you think you should be home and distracted.
Overwhelm is something that ties into all kinds of elements in our lives. It can be business, friends, or family. It can create frustration from not handling things we should be able to address and distracts us once again.
Looking at our business, individual lives, and family, what we do about all these distractions is change some habits and adopt new approaches. We can't remove distractions entirely, but there are methods we can look at to address them.
We're going to explore keys to addressing distractions: Organization, Structure, and Wellness in “Discover 3 Keys to Stop Suffering from Squirrel Syndrome in Your Business | Part 2” next week
Overall, health and fitness always played a part in Michelle’s life and continue to be part of her consulting approach today, differentiating her from others in the industry. Michelle guides business owners to develop a self-sustaining business, generate more revenue, and take back time to do things that excite them!
Raised by a strong, independent single mother, Michelle’s vision and values were instilled early. Michelle’s entrepreneurial journey started in the 90s in event planning and speaking. In addition to Michelle’s over 30-year Corporate career in Media, Logistics and Financial Services, her passions shaped Michelle’s experience, providing innumerable opportunities to give back as a volunteer.
Passionate about making a difference, Michelle is on a philanthropic foundation, “Board of Advisors,” building sustainable schools in developing countries and supporting Digital Samurai’s efforts, an entrepreneur focused on reducing youth unemployment in Africa through apprenticeships.
Michelle’s 35 years as an Account Executive spanned credit card processing and financial services, transportation, logistics, media, and consulting, with many projects including managing consultative alliances, live event management, and sales team leadership. In 2021 Michelle completed Wardell International Advisor training and had recently undertaken S.O.S. Sales Objection System group training with renowned trainer Joe Marcoux. Her career and entrepreneurial ambitions have taken Michelle outside Canada, providing extensive experience in multiple markets in North America and beyond.
You can find Michelle Ricketts on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/michellericketts
