Balance | Distractions

This is the final post in this week’s series on Balance.

Much of this week’s discussion on balance has been targeted on obligated tasks – things like work or school, projects that for one reason or another you must (or really, really should) complete.

These sorts of things are important, of course, but there is some very real value in purposefully building distractions into your life. Before we get too far down this road, let me tell you what I mean by distractions.

Distractions, Defined

When I say distractions, I don’t mean those little things that keep you from getting your work done. I’m not talking about those inopportune phone calls, or when Bob from down the hall peeks his head into your office. I’m also not talking about your burning desire to check Facebook or post an update to your Twitter feed, or check the scores on ESPN.

What I am talking about is those things that you include in your life simply because you like to do them. You could call these things hobbies, but distractions are smaller than hobbies:

Watching one episode of The Office is a distraction. Watching Reality TV is a hobby.
Going to see a basketball game is a distraction. Running your office’s fantasy league is a hobby.
Going to a concert is a distraction. Following the band’s European Tour is a hobby.

There’s an important distinction here – distractions are short-term, relatively short-duration, and can be done with less planning and foresight than a hobby. They also often require less of an investment, of both time and resources.

Build In Distractions

Distractions serve an important purpose in our hectic, rushed, over-scheduled world. Distractions are there to remind you that there are things outside of your obligations that you do simply because you enjoy them. Distractions allow your mental facilities to shift, decompress, and breathe. Jack Nicholson’s character from The Shining did not build enough distraction time into his life. You should.

Because, as I’ve mentioned, distractions operate on a smaller scale than hobbies, it’s less important that you literally build distractions into your life. You don’t need to schedule a weekly distraction time, or commit to something months in advance in order to ensure that you’re distractions are realized. What you should do instead is stay aware of the opportunity for distractions, and engage them as they come.

If you hear about a band coming to town that you’ve always wanted to see, or that you want to see now, go get tickets and see that band. If you get a short-notice offer to catch that movie that’s about to leave theaters, take the chance and see the movie.

Distractions are there to prevent us from falling out of our routines and into ruts. Distractions shake things up just enough that we can still appreciate them when they appear, and that we feel refreshed when we re-engage with our obligations. By remaining open to those distractions that find us, and by seeking out a few distractions of our own, maintaining our balance becomes that much closer to reality.