My Distractions Are Infinitely Clever, Part II

By Peiying Peng & Liz Zed

Last week we talked about distraction as avoidance. We also promised that this week we will point out the difference between distraction as avoidance and distractions as signposts to a truer path.

So, how to distinguish the differences? It is My Money Doctors’ opinion that to distinguish the differences, one first needs to become aware of the task at hand. Are you stalling because the task is deemed too difficult, too cumbersome, too confusing? Are you feeling overwhelmed and discouraged (while perhaps refusing to acknowledge that), suddenly distractions manifest everywhere and you need to attend to them? If the result of being pulled by distractions is that nothing is getting done; and if after being distracted, you have the nagging feeling of guilt of not taking care of your original task, then those distractions are avoidances. One has fallen prey to procrastination.

If one feels the pull of something intriguing, and there’s a hunch that the task at hand is lacking its importance and urgency, then one perhaps needs to pay attention to the distractions. Your divine mind just may be telling you in that “small, still voice” that your calling lies beyond what you set out to do.

One way to help yourself to distinguish the difference is to pause when you become aware that you are distracted. That small step of not doing anything and just paying attention can point you in the right direction and action.

That being said, signposts are fewer than avoidances. So don’t give yourself easy excuses when you are distracted.

Last week we talked about distraction as avoidance. We also promised that this week we will point out the difference between distraction as avoidance and distractions as signposts to a truer path.
So, how to distinguish the differences? It is My Money Doctors’ opinion that to distinguish the differences, one first needs to become aware of the task at hand. Are you stalling because the task is deemed too difficult, too cumbersome, too confusing? Are you feeling overwhelmed and discouraged (while perhaps refusing to acknowledge that), suddenly distractions manifest everywhere and you need to attend to them? If the result of being pulled by distractions is that nothing is getting done; and if after being distracted, you have the nagging feeling of guilt of not taking care of your original task, then those distractions are avoidances. One has fallen prey to procrastination.
If one feels the pull of something intriguing, and there’s a hunch that the task at hand is lacking its importance and urgency, then one perhaps needs to pay attention to the distractions. Your divine mind just may be telling you in that “small, still voice” that your calling lies beyond what you set out to do. One way to help yourself to distinguish the difference is to pause when you become aware that you are distracted. That small step of not doing anything and just paying attention can point you in the right direction and action. That being said, signposts are fewer than avoidances. So don’t give yourself easy excuses when you are distracted.