MANAGING DISTRACTING THOUGHTS

Maintaining focus for a long period of time can take practice, and environmental factors make a big difference.
Here are some suggestions for managing the distractions that are a natural part of trying to get work done.

Find or make a good (virtual) space • Try the five-minute strategy. The avoidance
Controlling your environment is a good first step to response from the limbic system becomes
avoiding distractions. We’re often more productive significantly weaker after a few minutes of work.
in a dedicated workspace rather than a space we Choose a starting task and set a timer for five
associate with other activities. Going to a library or minutes, during which you work on the problem
study space, or creating one in your home, can help you’ve set for yourself. Even writing “I don’t
you focus your thoughts. Please see the Work from know what to do” repeatedly is OK. Think of
Home handouts in the Academic Success Resource it like brainstorming by yourself. You might
Library for more information on this topic. find yourself with ideas to act upon, issues to
If you’re unable to go to a different location to do address, or questions to ask. If you’re unable to
your work, consider virtual Study Hubs to help you move forward, send a message to ask for help,
get into a productive headspace. and move onto another job.

Get over the initial hurdle Keep on moving

Starting work is often harder than continuing. Our People have varying attention spans, so try to figure
brain’s limbic system is hardwired to avoid stressors out ways of working that suit you best. One of the
and to pursue immediate pleasure, whereas the classic methods of managing work is known as the
neocortex controls decision-making and thought. Pomodoro Method, named after the tomato timer
When we try to start something difficult, our limbic that Francesco Cirillo used to structure his time. He
system responds with avoidance, despite our best found that working for 25 minutes with five-minute
intentions. We often need strategies to help the breaks allowed him to stay focused and get work done.
“rational” neocortex overpower the “irrational” After a few “pomodoros,” he took a longer break for
limbic system, especially at the start of a work or food and started again. Some people find that these
study session. pomodoros are too long, others that they are too short
to make useful progress. Experiment with what helps
• Set out your goals. Try the SMART Goal you and adjust the intervals accordingly.
method: instead of planning to do a project
over a weekend, break the job into specific, Distractions are natural, but you don’t have to give in
measurable, achievable, rewarded and timely
steps. A focused goal that you know you can do, “Unfocused” thoughts arise when we try to pay
and that comes with a deadline and a reward attention to one thing: sometimes they’re a matter of
for completing it, helps both your intention and problem solving from diverse angles, sometimes they’re
your drive for gratification. about something else that needs to be addressed, and
sometimes they’re general worries or hopes. Different
• Tip the balance in the neocortex’s favour by approaches can be used for all of these.
making it easier to do the things you want to do
and harder to do the things you don’t. Studies • If the intrusive thought is about something that
have shown that making things even 15 seconds needs to be done, ask yourself if it’s more urgent
easier, like putting out your materials beforehand, or important than what you’re doing now. Prioritize
significantly improves our odds of following importance over urgency: for instance, a less-
through on our intentions. Making things just 15 valuable assignment that’s due sooner than your
seconds harder—like having to cross the room current task might not be worth giving attention to,
to get your phone—can help us resist the urge to so weigh out the gains and losses of each course
distract ourselves from hard work. of action. If there is a good reason to change tasks,
make some notes of where you are on your work
 and your next steps before moving to the other • If the intrusive thought is about a hope, some of
job. If the other job is equally or less urgent or the previous strategies might still work. You can
important, jot down the idea to work on later, acknowledge it and let it go, compartmentalize
so it doesn’t keep occupying your thoughts. it or make “what if” plans, but you might also
• If the intrusive thought is a “what if” concern, consider making it a reward for having done less
take some time to confront the worry and its enjoyable things. If you’re looking forward to an
likelihood of working out as badly as you think. event in the future, you could make it contingent
Sketch out both the worst-case and the best- on meeting a SMART goal. Linking something
case scenarios, then, evaluate the probability that you’re truly excited about with work that
of either scenario happening. You’ll probably you must do can help you stay on track. Instead
realize that the most likely outcome is between of facing a choice between distraction and work
the two extremes. If you are still worried, try (where the limbic system might undermine your
figuring out what you can do if they happen, neocortex), you’ll be facing a choice between
but keep your priorities in focus. distraction and something better.
• If the intrusive thought is a worry about While these suggestions can help mitigate distracting
something you can’t control, see if someone else thoughts, there are many personal factors that can
can help, and reach out to them. Again, consider complicate your ability to focus. Remember that
your priorities in how you use your time. If you you’re not alone! The University has many resources
can’t find resources or allies, or if you’re waiting and services to support you.
for help or for things to change, do your best to • If you want to learn more about the
acknowledge the worry without it taking over mental health supports available to you,
your ability to do other things. Navi is a chat-based virtual assistant
• One method of dealing with worries we can’t that can quickly provide you with contact
control is to compartmentalize. You can do information and direct links to U of T and
this in several ways. For instance, writing community resources.
down the worry in detail and scheduling • If you know or think you may have a
“worry time” to address it—just like a to-do temporary or ongoing disability that is
list—can help you train your brain not to impacting your work, Accessibility Services
get stuck in an idea. Another strategy is to can help you to navigate disability-related
visualize putting the worry in a box. Put the barriers to your success and to develop
box into a closet and close the door; leave strategies that suit you best.
the room the closet is in and close that door • Health & Wellness offers programs and
too. Take a few minutes to do this, focusing services for your mental and physical
on the details of the visualized experience. health, to support your personal and
• Another method is to simply acknowledge academic goals.
that your brain has brought up the intrusive • You can get confidential support for any
thought again. For people who struggle with school, health or general life concern through
compartmentalization, trying to ignore the U of T My SSP: as a U of T student you can
worry can be like trying not to think about talk to or chat with a counsellor for free,
the pink elephant: once it’s mentioned it whenever and wherever you are.
becomes an object of focus. Like in some
meditation practices, allow yourself to
notice the thought as it drifts through your
mind without holding onto it, and refocus
your attention on the present. Have faith in
the fact that you can grow and change, and
that with practice you can learn not to let
distracting thoughts take over.

Want to know more?

Academic Success has resources, workshops, events and appointments to support you:
→ look us up online at AcademicSuccess.utoronto.ca,
→ register for appointments and events at CLNx.utoronto.ca,
→ or email us at [email protected]