What Was I Doing? …

I had every intention of being productive the other day. Notice I said intention.

I walked into the garage to grab a screwdriver. Simple enough, right? Now, before we go any further, I should probably admit something. I have three toolboxes. One is my “more formal toolbox.” That’s the one that looks organized and professional. The second is my go to toolbox. That’s where I keep the tools I use most often. The third is not really a toolbox at all. It’s a large plastic bin full of random tools that somehow accumulated over the years and apparently decided to live together.

I started looking for the screwdriver in one toolbox, then another and then another. Then I started reorganizing tools. Then I started wondering why I owned three pairs of pliers that all looked exactly the same. Several minutes later, I left the garage. Without the screwdriver.

The next day, I was putting some items away in an upstairs cabinet when I stumbled across a box full of old pictures. Not a photo album, it was an actual box of pictures. You remember those, right? Back when we had to wait for pictures to be developed and every photograph wasn’t sitting on a phone somewhere. I started flipping through them. There were pictures of the kids when they were little. Family vacations, birthday parties and friends we hadn’t seen in years. Thirty minutes disappeared faster than a plate of cookies at a grandkids’ sleepover.

Then there was the lawn mowing incident. I was outside getting ready to mow the lawn when I noticed my neighbor preparing to mow his lawn. We started talking and the conversation turned to hockey. One hockey discussion led to another. Before long, we had solved all the world’s problems, determined exactly why our hockey team wasn’t performing, identified what management needed to do next year, and probably could have coached the team ourselves. The only thing we hadn’t done was mow our lawns.

Of course, technology doesn’t help. I have picked up my phone to check one text message and somehow ended up watching videos, reading articles, checking the weather, looking up random information, and researching things that had absolutely nothing to do with the original reason I picked up my phone. I am still amazed at how quickly that happens. One minute you’re checking a message and the next minute you’re learning how a medieval castle was built.

My personal favorite is walking into a room and forgetting why I went there in the first place. I will literally walk into the room, stop, turn around, look left, look right, stand there for a few seconds, and then slowly start retracing my steps like a detective trying to solve a mystery. Eventually, someone in the family notices and asks, “What are you doing?” And, I honestly answer, “I don’t know why I’m here.” Without missing a beat, somebody usually responds with something like, “We don’t know why you’re here either.” I have a very supportive and hilarious family.

The funny thing is that none of these distractions seem dangerous. Most of them are harmless. Some are even enjoyable. But they all have one thing in common. They pull us away from what we originally set out to do.

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

At first glance, absolutely nothing. One story involves a missing screwdriver. Another involves old photographs. Then there is a hockey discussion in the driveway and a mysterious inability to remember why I walked into a room in the first place.

None of those sound like business topics. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized they all have one thing in common, distractions. They show up when we least expect them. They pull our attention away from what we intended to accomplish. Sometimes they are enjoyable, sometimes they are completely harmless and sometimes they even provide a much needed break. But when distractions become the norm instead of the exception, they can quietly steal our progress one small moment at a time. And that is where the business lesson begins.

The truth is that distractions don’t disappear when we start an online business. In many ways, they multiply. One minute you’re writing a blog post. Then you decide to check your email. While checking your email, you notice a social media notification. That leads to a video. The video reminds you of another idea. Suddenly an hour has passed and the blog post is still sitting there waiting for you. Does this sound familiar?

One of the biggest challenges online entrepreneurs face isn’t lack of opportunity. It isn’t lack of information. It isn’t even lack of tools. It’s lack of focus. Every day there is another course, another video, another strategy, another shiny object promising faster results. Before long, many people spend more time preparing to work than actually working.

Progress happens when we focus long enough to finish what we started.

That doesn’t mean breaks are bad. Sometimes stepping away for a few minutes helps clear your mind. Sometimes a walk, a conversation, or a little time with family is exactly what you need. The problem comes when distractions become a habit instead of an occasional pause.

Here Are Five Ways Distractions Can Hurt Your Online Business

1. They steal valuable time.
2. They break your concentration.
3. They delay important projects.
4. They create unfinished work.
5. They make progress feel slower than it actually should be.

The most successful people I know aren’t necessarily smarter than everyone else. They simply stay focused longer. They pick a direction and continue moving forward, even when something shiny tries to pull them off course. Building an online business is rarely about doing everything. It’s usually about doing a few important things consistently over time. Write the blog post, send the email, create the content, help the customer, follow up and repeat.  Those simple activities may not seem exciting, but they are often the things that create the biggest results.

And yes, there is still room for life along the way, like talk to your neighbor, play with your kids/grandkids, take a walk or just laugh with your spouse (see my awesome jokes at the end of every blog post). Just don’t let a temporary distraction become a permanent detour. Most distractions don’t arrive wearing a sign that says, “Warning this is a productivity killer.” They usually show up disguised as a toolbox, a box of old photos, a hockey conversation, or a quick glance at your phone.

What about you? What is the biggest distraction that pulls you away from what you’re trying to accomplish? Leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear your funniest “squirrel” moment.

And if you’re trying to build an online business but find yourself getting distracted by all the noise, all the conflicting advice, and all the shiny objects out there, take a look at the Internet Profits Academy. The academy provides training, coaching, community, and tools designed to help you stay focused on the activities that actually move your business forward. Best of all, there’s now a free option so you can explore what it’s all about and decide what fits your goals before making a commitment.

Sometimes success isn’t about finding the next big thing. Sometimes it’s simply about staying focused on the thing you’re already supposed to be doing.

As I was finishing this blog post, my wife walked by and asked, “What are you writing about?” I told her “Distractions.” She laughed, not a little chuckle, a full laugh. The kind of laugh that tells you she has years of supporting evidence. Then she said, “Well, at least you’re writing about something you know.” I hate it when she’s right.

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” — Winston Churchill “

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” — Stephen Covey

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

My wife says I get distracted too easily. Anyway, have you ever noticed how interesting ceiling fans are?

I don’t lose focus. I simply explore alternative priorities.

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

 

**If you are curious about building and maintaining a healthy online business, I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter here and continue following my blog. My hope is not only to create the freedom I have long desired, but also to share what I am learning with others who are working toward the same dream.