Comments on: Choosing Your Distractions https://gettingthingsdone.com/2011/02/choosing-your-distractions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=choosing-your-distractions David Allen's GTD® Methodology Thu, 19 Jun 2025 14:54:23 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 By: Amy https://gettingthingsdone.com/2011/02/choosing-your-distractions/#comment-3198 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 05:41:00 +0000 http://www.gtdtimes.com/2011/02/18/#comment-3198 The pretty weather outside while working inside can be easily remedied by a few minutes outside in the warm sun and fresh air right away if possible.

]]> By: Mike Vardy https://gettingthingsdone.com/2011/02/choosing-your-distractions/#comment-3197 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:07:16 +0000 http://www.gtdtimes.com/2011/02/18/#comment-3197 Thanks for the praise, Martin.I guess when you have less “distraction items” around you can come up with some pretty powerful quotes!

Glad you found the post useful — all the best.

]]> By: Martin https://gettingthingsdone.com/2011/02/choosing-your-distractions/#comment-3196 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 05:44:00 +0000 http://www.gtdtimes.com/2011/02/18/#comment-3196 “The reward of getting stuff done is more valuable than reacting to stuff not done yet.”

Thanks Mike for a great motivational quote, and thanks Deanna for highlighting it from the article! I have similarly written the quote and posted it on a prominent spot on my desk.

]]> By: Deborah https://gettingthingsdone.com/2011/02/choosing-your-distractions/#comment-3195 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 02:30:59 +0000 http://www.gtdtimes.com/2011/02/18/#comment-3195 It seems that housewives have been doing that for years. We all know that the ironing gets done faster while watching tv. And quilting circles accomplished both quilting work and social media. It seems we need to relearn what distractions work to help us be more productive.

]]> By: Mike Vardy https://gettingthingsdone.com/2011/02/choosing-your-distractions/#comment-3194 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 04:36:38 +0000 http://www.gtdtimes.com/2011/02/18/#comment-3194 Deanna,

Thanks for your kudos and comment.

I really like that quote and have added it to a list of motivational quotations that I keep handy. I have also made sure to have reminders of these things on my desktop, screensaver and iPad. Gentle reminders like that can be great triggers.

Gotta go now, though. Wrestling is on. ;)

Take care.

]]> By: Deanna https://gettingthingsdone.com/2011/02/choosing-your-distractions/#comment-3193 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:44:43 +0000 http://www.gtdtimes.com/2011/02/18/#comment-3193 I wrote this down and posted it on my desk:
“The reward of getting stuff done is more valuable than reacting to stuff not done yet.”

When I’m in flow, happily productive in the right areas (as I happen to be just now), that’s a great reinforcer of how and why I’m in that good spot. A high five to myself.

When I’m struggling and distracted, that’s a great reminder of what it takes to get back to the good place. It covers a lot of territory.

Whatever it says about me, I’m not terribly interested in what other people are doing at any random moment (which makes me an erratic and unreliable participant in social media, for better and not), so the last phrase isn’t a big one for me. (Though I might be tempted to shout it out to others who seem to be stuck in that unfathomable need to know what the other guy is doing *right* *now*. But I will refrain. I have lots of my own vices.)

Also, I just added to my Weekly Review reminder: do a distraction check. That seems useful not just in the moment of distraction, but from the higher altitude of the weekly review. What has distracted me this week, and what’s likely to distract me next week? What’s the next action for solving that problem?

Good stuff, Mike. Thanks for the article.

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