A powerful antidote to distraction | Tania McMahon | TEDxQUT

Distraction is the best form of denial.

Not gonna lie - had to restart this talk about 3 times because i kept getting distracted. And after finally reaching the end, I think I'll go sit and reflect for a while. I like this lady. I think there really could be something to this.

Spending time with your self can be a little scary, why do you think we are trained to keep busy! This is a beautiful perspective and a lot more rewarding I dare say. Really enjoyed this topic!

This is what's needed! I can't tell you how many times I have sat down at the computer, determined to get things done and find myself with several tabs open and I'm just looping in circles from the first to the last. By the time I walk away, hardly anything is accomplished and I'm more frustrated. I'm struggling creatively. I'm at A and I can see Z, but there's 24 layers of glass in between. As I try to map this or that, my brain has a sudden craving for inspiration and off we go, to get it. What does it accomplish? Nothing, just beautiful colors that I didn't create. So I'm thinking, if I can close my eyes and see my own colors, I can probably make my own things. As a child, I didnt need [outside] inspiration to be creative, I just sat down and tried. There were no cell phones, no computer, no apps... You went outside, looked at the colors, saw shapes in the clouds and connected to your creative side. I need to find my way back there, asap!

I really didn't need another excuse to sit around and daydream, but thanks for making me feel good about that. I always thought it was a waste of time. It gives me so much joy and inspiration though!

I am focusing on my internal world a lot these days, and I am mostly scared.

Stop instantly gratifying yourself, and living a life of pleasure. It's like constantly getting distracted on your path, while your route(values) are not being achieved, even though you'll be happier as a result of following your values. Not only will you live a fulfilled life, you'll be healthier psychologically. Reflect on your values, your actions: your entire self. Then give yourself solutions which will help you change. Start, and don't stop, you will still encounter distractions, and want pleasure, so keep yourself accountable, and make yourself be in places which stop you from being lazy and pleasure-seeking. Do this by giving yourself goals, and having actual reasons for change, not: "I want to change", but: "I need to get better for this class/for this job", but actually join that class, and schedule that job interview!

More like the perfect antidote to distraction. What a fabulous woman, love her energy and her perspective. So many people are all about instant results but it just doesn't work that way, tiny little steps of progress in between distractions can get us very far.

we all just want another hit of dopamine! can you imagine if we had been forced to keep up journal writing all through elementary and high school? i feel like with this tech age, the simple act of sitting down and just word vomitting on a piece of paper with pen or pencil if so helpful. loved this talk Tania!

👏👏I love how the academic and traditional health world is moving more and more towards mindfulness!👏👏

Beautiful! Such a fabulous talk. I will say this though - many people stay busy as to not have to think about or process the negative emotions that rattle around in the back of their minds. So many people don't have the resources or capacity to be still and reflect, because what comes out when they really pay attention to what they're feeling... And we all know that seeking therapy doesn't come very cheap! And it's not very easily accessible. However, if we could start teaching things like this in schools, we might see we teach younger generations how to process grief, trauma and whatever else - and then we could all self-reflect without the help of a professional.

this lady is so amazing. i am in awe of this talk. so many tools in here, so many ways to keep our brains on point! i love it.

Really great speech

I was looking for something to focus on and I am glad to have found this video. In a world full of information, all we need to do is focus on ourselves and take action. Thank you!

It's about time we started to wake up to this behaviour in ourselves, this talk was so very informative!

Such an amazing video. Opened my perspective about life instantly. Thank you for such an insight!

These days we feed our children's inner puppy with smart phones and tablets, their eyes once alive and fun get glossy and dark.

Instant gratification, well it is instant!

I needed that, thank you

I was thinking along these lines, and I am glad I have listened to this talk. I feel calm by the end 😌