5 Ways to Ignore Worldly Distractions and Concentrate on What’s Really Important

The world is a tangled web of highways and byways, and various paths that confuse us as we traverse through life. What used to be so simple is now overly complicated that a lot of us lose sight of what we’ve been aiming for in the first place…living our life to the fullest.

If you are prone to getting distracted by the Internet, your various electronic gadgets, and a myriad other things commercialism throws at your face on a daily basis, here are some five ways you can overcome temptation and get back on the path you’ve set down for yourself to achieve:

#1. Recognize distractions

Everyday, we are bombarded with distractions, and most times we just don’t recognize them so they actually become a bad habit. Do you need to read and answer every email as soon the notifications ping you? Is the daily soap opera really a positive and beneficial addition to your day? Do you obsessively check whether friends have “liked” or “commented” on that selfie you just posted three seconds ago?

If you can identify these distractions and develop an awareness of them, you can actually distance yourself from these temptations and get on to the more important things.

#2. Analyze the Distractions

Once you’ve identified your particular set of diversions and interference, analyze them one by one and ask yourself why they are such a temptation for you. Why is it so hard to ignore the urge to smoke? Will you really miss out on a whole chunk of living if you don’t check your social media feeds every 15 minutes? Are you afraid of losing precious friends and contacts if you ignore Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for a single day?

Once you’re aware of the urges and why they move you, then you are one step closer to keeping them out of your life.

#3. Take Immediate Action

Once you’ve examined the cause and effect of your distractions, you can take several steps to eliminate them from your daily routine. If you’re obsessive about keeping up with the news for fear of missing out, try to close all your browser tabs and apps, and leave just one. Concentrate on that, a single one at a time.

You can also put a time buffer between each distraction to keep you from using up a whole day to them. Put them off for a few hours while doing something constructive, such as taking your dog out for a walk, doing a spot of gardening or meditation, or even forcing yourself to do laundry and other housework. Turn off your Wi-Fi and go read a book. Delete useless apps and celebrate by eating a healthy meal.

#4. Now Take a Closer Look at What’s Really Important

Unless it involves work, is being online 24/7 really the be-all and end-all of your existence? Will you be able to live if you don’t have a cigarette or a drink on hand at all times? Ask yourself how important these distractions really are, and how they affect your losing out on the important things in life. Like your health, your mental well-being, your family and close friends, your intellectual stimulation.

Now that you’re aware and have distanced yourself from various distractions, pick out what’s really important and carve the time to concentrate on them instead of those useless diversions.

#5. Fall in Love with The World

And not its worldly temptations. In an often used, but so timely cliche…stop and smell the roses. Look up at how beautiful the sky is, and how interesting the cloud formations look today. Admire the freckles on your child’s face, and smell how fragrant their hair is. Hug your pet, unfurl your bare toes in the grass, greet a neighbor and notice how kind their eyes are.

Getting rid of distractions opens your eyes to the people, places, and things around you that you would otherwise have missed.

What about you? Are you living in the here and now?