My Top Five Career Distractions

My Top Five Career Distractions
 

1. Social Media. But Kris, you’re in marketing. Social media is part of your job! Yes it is, however social media is the equivalent of a Black Hole. Go online and get sucked in by a friend’s new puppy. Check the reactions to a previous business post and end up spending 10 minutes composing a funny observation on the meme that just made you “lol.”

2. Working or meeting at Starbucks, Dunkin, etc. These outings require finding a seat, ordering coffee, requiring a charger, forgetting the info I needed at home, and obligatory chit chat with others trying to concentrate and do the same thing I am.

3. Email. I currently have five different accounts. Emails to communicate with clients. Emails to arrange meetings with new referrals. Emails for the local magazine I edit. Have you ever searched 20 minutes for an email and suddenly realize that the message had been sent via text? You get where I’m coming from.

4. My phone. I’ve turned off all social media alerts (see #1) because I just cannot get distracted each time someone posts on FB or Insta. Text chains featuring my girl squad are delightful and funny. They brighten my day. However, at times the volume has to go off so that I can keep my head in the game.

5. Working from Home. “You are so lucky that you can work from home!” True. But when schedules need to be coordinated, articles written, and presentations created it’s a huge distraction when that pile of laundry catches my eye. So, I just throw in a load. But wait, I’m almost out of detergent. There’s more in the garage. Oh nuts, the recycling still has to go out. Let me get that to the curb. Wait, what’s wrong with the tire on my bike? It’s losing air. Better pump it and see if I need a new tube. Greasy chain = grease on my jeans. Tide Stick. Better get them in the laundry, stat. Now, where’s that detergent???