Greek Mythology reveals a solution for the distraction issue

Why are you wasting so much time on those time-consuming websites. We all know them, right? Facebook, Youtube, news websites, ..

First of all, let me say this to you “It’s not your fault !” 🙂

Social Media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, … are DESIGNED (!) to keep you on their platforms away from the NEXT thing from your TODO list.
They use design & psychology to keep you as long engaged on their sites as possible. Tactics as A/B testing will guarantee them to get the most profit in their pockets.

Another good example are the NEWS websites.
News websites are usually getting paid by ads. A way to optimize this is by keeping you as long as possible on their websites.
Some of them use sneaky headlines to shock you …. but that’s another story 🙂

So YES … I understand it: those websites need to make money online BUT YOU need to make money as well! An important way to do so, is to stay as productive as possible.

I often have mixed feelings with those websites and I feel as if I am “in between”: you need YouTube,Facebook, … for the   ‘GOOD’ things but you want to avoid being subconsciously attracted (seduced) to those websites.

The Seductive Sirens: let’s “fight” back

A solution is revealed in our history books: moreover in the Greek Mythology.
In Greek Mythology you can read about sirens: beautiful creatures trying  to seduce sailors with their sweet voices. As a result the ship crashes into the cliffs. So death was always nearby.

Up until a man called Odysseus had a plan. He asked his sailors to put wax into their ears and to tie him very tightly to the mast of the ship (without wax in his ears). The story goes Odysseus cried to his men to untie him … but because of the strict instructions, they couldn’t hear him.

So YES, you can have both worlds: they joy of those “seductive” platforms/websites and still be productive.

Become more conscious about our time !

Two concepts will give you the equivalent of  the above story (wax & tying yourself up).

1. Be deliberate about your TODO  / your next step
   The important thing there is that you intentionally agree with yourself what’s on your plate.
   When you are very intentionally, your productivity increases.This could be as simple as just writing it on a piece of paper (or digital equivalent).
2. Keeping you on ‘track’ & in case of distraction gently move yourself back to focus
   If somehow you are getting distracted by those Digital Sirens, someone/something needs to put you back on track.
   A way to do this is to for example use a “Kitchen Egg Timer“. Before you start a task, you estimate how much time you want to spend on the task, you’ll configure the timer and you are good to go. 
   TIP: Use “atomic” tasks that are less than 30 minutes.

An all-in-one solution: FocusToFlow

The extension FocusToFlow allows one to mix those two concepts into one very simple software. Users have reported big productivity increases.
The good thing is: it does not cost an arm and a leg. Moreover you can install it today, free of charge.
Learn more about it here. Or go directly to the simple installation instructions.