I got asked on Instagram how I deal with distractions, and I want to share my answer here with you as well.

But first – what is a distraction

A distraction is everything that keeps you from doing what you’ve planned to do or what would matter most.

• the notification that keeps you from working
• checking social media while on a dinner date
• doing busy tasks instead of the ones that would move the needle

So yes, checking your emails can be a distraction as well when you should focus on getting an important project done.

How I deal with distractions

I know what’s distracting me

Make a list of all the things that are distracting you.

For me, these are:

• emails
• Instagram & TikTok
• my husband coming into my office
• random thoughts & ideas coming up

How I deal with these distractions

Come up with a plan to deal with these distractions.

Emails

• I don’t have notifications on for emails.
• I check my emails before a focused work session, so I don’t feel the urge to check them while working.
• Then I close my inbox.

Instagram & TikTok

• I have all social media notifications turned off.
• I scroll on IG and TikTok for about 10 – 15 minutes before I start working. Again – this helps me to not feel like I have to check them while working.

My husband coming into my office

Here communication is key. When I need time to focus, I let him know in advance.

Random thoughts & ideas coming up

What works best for me here is to have a journal by my side and write everything down. It’s out of my head and I can return to it later.

Summary

Know what is distracting you from work and prepare in advance.

It’s not about not giving in to distractions. It’s more about timing them.

Your Focus Checklist

Here’s a checklist to help you prepare for a focused work session.

• define a specific task you’ll work on
• put away your phone
• close all browser tabs you don’t need
• put away everything you don’t need
• prepare everything you’ll need
• have water, coffee, and snacks at hand
• go time

I hope this is helpful. If you have any questions, you can always DM me on Instagram.

When you think about increasing your productivity, you probably think about trying a new tool or implementing a new system.

You watch a YouTube video from your favorite productivity guru who introduces a new “Get Shit Done” system, and you are convinced that this system will finally help you. That you’ll finally be able to tick everything off your list and feel accomplished at the end of the day.

Oh, and this new app will help as well.

You set it up, you give it a try, and it works.

But after a few days, you find yourself in the same slump you’ve been in before.

That’s because you miss the most crucial part … having the energy to show up and do the work.

A new tool, system, or strategy won’t make you more productive when you’re constantly exhausted, when you are not able to focus, or when you spend hours searching for things.

When you want to increase your productivity and live an enjoyable life, Energy Management is the first thing to look at.

Energy Management is the foundation that makes everything else so much easier.

When you have your Energy Management in place (or at least started to work on it), you can think about Time- and Task Management.

Energy Management includes:

Physical Energy
Taking care of your body (movement, nutrition, hydration, rest) so that you can show up full of energy and clarity.

Mental Energy
Knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Know Yourself
How do you work best?
When do you work best?
What do you need to get in the flow?

Your Environment
Organize your physical and digital workspace to support you and make it easy for you to find things.

Planning & Goal Setting
Get clear about how you want the 7 areas of your life to look like (business/career, physical health, mental health, personal development, leisure, relationships, home/environment).
Make a plan to get from where you are now to where you want to be.

Also, check out this blog post about how to set goals.

Once you have these things in place, you can start to work on your time- and project/task management.

If you want to intentionally create an enjoyable life, setting goals and planning on how to achieve them is crucial. You need to know what you want your life to look like and how you get there.

That’s why it is important to take a few hours each month to think about how you want your upcoming month to look like.

What do you want to achieve?

How will you make it happen?

The process of proper planning also saves you a lot of time and energy because there are now fewer decisions for you to make on a daily basis. You’ve already set your priorities.

The problem I often see is that people often choose the wrong approach to achieve their goals and therefore struggle to achieve them.

That’s why I came up with the “Goal Setting Flowchart”. It will help you pick the right approach to achieve your goal.

There are 3 different types of goals and each type requires a different approach.

Let’s start with the general overview:

The first question you should ask yourself is if the goal is tangible.

If the answer is NO, then it’s a lifestyle goal. These types of goals are achieved by habits.

If the answer is YES, then the next question is if you have control over the outcome.

If you can control the outcome, then your goal is an outcome goal and is achieved by a project.

If you can’t control the outcome, you should turn your goal into an input goal. These types of goals can be achieved by setting up a system or process.

Now let’s look at an example for each type.

Outcome Goal

Example: I want to launch a course by the end of next month.

Q: Is the goal tangible? -> Yes
Q: Is the outcome under your control? -> Yes
How to achieve it: Set up a project in your tool of choice. Define the timeline and action steps.

Input Goal

Example: I want to reach 2000 followers on IG by the end of next month.

Q: Is the goal tangible? -> Yes
Q: Is the outcome under your control? -> No
Turn it into an input goal: I’ll post on Instagram 3x a week.
How to achieve it: Create a content calendar and schedule time to create content.

Lifestyle Goal

Example: I want to have more energy.

Q: Is the goal tangible? -> No
How to achieve it: Habit: I’ll move my body for 15 minutes each day.

If you need help with your monthly planning, you can download my FREE Monthly Planning Workbook. It will guide you through my 3-step planning process to help you plan an amazing and successful month.