Productivity: The Ultimate Distraction

As I have gained more awareness in the past few years, I have noticed that I tend to look for distractions so that I can avoid my feelings. My go-to distraction? Anything productive. I am addicted to being productive. Cleaning. Organizing. Coming up with a new idea to bring sales up. Running errands. Answering emails. Work, work and anything that feels like work.

I began to observe what other people’s distractions are. I found: TV, mobile games, Facebook, gossip, BBM, eating, drinking alcohol, smoking, coffee breaks, exercising. [I guess mine is not so bad. Being productive and working has better results than some other things I have seen people use as distractions.] I started contemplating the concept of distracting oneself. I am addicted to being productive. Some people are addicted to Facebook. Others, smoking. I decided addictions are addictions. Just because being productive doesn’t waste time or destroy my lungs, doesn’t mean that the addiction is okay.

As an entrepreneur, there is no dividing line between work and personal life. It is especially important to maintain mental, physical and emotional health. You are your business. If you’re not healthy, eventually your business will suffer.

For the past several years I have been checking in with my to-do list and have knocked out some pretty productive tasks. My new challenge: to just be with my feelings. Letting go of the addiction to be productive, my ultimate distraction.

What’s yours?