Be Bored

When facing the discomfort of work I don't want to do, I distract myself. Videogames, YouTube, social media, podcasts, and movies are all rabbit holes I dive down to avoid the work.

But lately, I've come up with a solution: I stare out the window and get bored.

No music, no devices, and no distractions. Just sit, stare in silence, and be present.

At first, my brain keeps busy. It worries, frets, overthinks, and does whatever it can to avoid the work.

But eventually, it settles down, and I get to work.

All of this may seem obvious, but learning how I use distractions to avoid work has given me an actual path to productivity.

This understanding reminds me of Charles Duhigg's book, The Power of Habit, which says that you should learn what triggers your old, bad habit to replace it with a healthier one.

My trigger is discomfort, and my bad habit is distraction through media. By recognizing it and forcing myself to sit within the discomfort and boredom, I eventually work my way through it and can get to work.

Hopefully, this is something that may work for you.