It’s no secret we live in a world of distractions. Just about everyone I know, myself included, could probably get medication for A.D.D. One report shows that 7% of children age 5-17 were diagnosed with ADHD in 2003 and then 11% in 2011. In 2016 there was a 43% increase. Email, Text messages, Social Media, Politics, the distractions are endless. I have gone 5 months without blogging because of being politically distracted and not wanting to rant on that subject. So many have become “experts.” So, I have set out to uncover and practice at least 3 ways that I can detox from Weapons of Mass Distraction.

#1. Determine and write down the things you are committed to. What is it that you don’t want to be distracted from? Do you want to read your Bible daily? Put it on your to do list and your calendar. Schedule it. If your study comes by computer, turn off all of the other applications. This may seem obvious, but are you doing it? If you want more distraction free time with your family, start by scheduling it. Make it ‘a must do’ on your list. Want to exercise more diligently? It has to be on your schedule.

#2. Set a timer and turn off distractions. The world we live in makes it extremely difficult to get through a long task without interruption. One thing that is helping me is to set a timer. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time to work hyper-focused. Use the best feature ever designed for the cell phone (it’s called the off button). Work on what it is you have scheduled. When the time is up. Give yourself some time to indulge in your distraction of choice, email, text messages, etc., and set the timer for it. I don’t know that I will have to do this forever, but reprogramming bad habits into good ones is the goal. Not wanting to do everything by the hour, I am experimenting with 50 minutes of hyper-focus and 14 minutes of planned distraction. Weird maybe, but I will report on the success of it.

#3. Make sure to allow time to meditate and pray. Now before you say, “I thought he was a Christian! Remember that Psalm 1 insists we are blessed when we meditate on the teachings of the Lord “Day and Night.” Meditation takes time. Prayer takes time. Martin Luther is famous for commenting, “I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer.” As unrealistic as it sounds, spend the first part of your day meditating and praying. I can guarantee it will add hours to your day. You will be more focused and accomplish more.

I would love to hear how you avoid distractions. It may well help me, and others! Also, Please comment and/or use the share buttons below to forward. I am committed to being distraction free, (except during the minutes that I choose it on my schedule), and to being devoted to the things I care about. Politics is lower on the list than most everything in my life… certainly lower than writing. So, the blog continues. I pray that you are blessed and motivated and that there is blessing attached to everything you touch.