Courses, Big Think

Mastering your internal triggers with Nir Eyal

6 lectures, 32 min in all

Distractions are everywhere. A deluge of content on social media, notifications from your phone, coworkers talking loudly in your open office; the list is endless. But author Nir Eyal says these types of external triggers aren’t the root cause of your lack of focus. He suggests the true distraction triggers are internal: a fear of loneliness or aversion to boredom. In this video lesson, Eyal reveals how distraction actually occurs when trying to escape uncomfortable emotional states. To truly become “indistractable,” he argues that you have to address your internal triggers first. And that means acknowledging that time management is pain management. Learning objectives: Recognize and reframe internal triggers. Protect your time through individual and team planning. Take steps to manage and reduce external triggers. Use pacts to stay focused on goals. Promote an indistractable workplace culture.