Let’s talk about distraction
And not the dramatic kind.
I’m not talking about smoke alarms, sick kids, or genuine emergencies.
I mean the sneaky, everyday stuff:
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Phone games
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Social media scrolling
- Checking email again
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Staring into space while telling yourself you’re “thinking creatively”
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Busywork that feels productive… but doesn’t actually move the needle on your revenue
Sometimes distraction is just habit.
And sometimes—if we’re being honest—it’s avoidance.
Because being a creative freelancer isn’t just the fun parts.
There are invoices. Follow-ups. Editing passes. Admin. Outreach.
The less sexy stuff.
So instead of starting that necessary-but-unexciting task, maybe your hand just… wanders to your phone.
And I’m saying this as someone who is actively resisting the urge right now to “just quickly” check my email… and then accidentally play a few phone games.
Those little checks add up.
Five minutes here. Ten minutes there.
By the end of the day, that’s a lot of lost time.
If you don’t believe me, try tracking your actions for a week.
All. of. them.
It’s eye-opening.
Why distraction costs more than you think
Here’s the problem with all that distracted time:
The tasks don’t go away.
You pay for it later:
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Late nights
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Weekend work
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That constant feeling of always being behind
And for a lot of us, one of the reasons we went freelance was for better work–life balance.
Not worse.
When we’re constantly pulled out of our process:
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Work takes longer
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Quality drops
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We feel more drained than we should
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The to-do list keeps rolling over, unfinished
Presence matters.
When you’re actually in your work, not only does it get better — it gets done faster.
Checking things off the list feels amazing.
And then you can go goof off. Guilt-free.
The tricky part?
We live in a world where everything is competing for your attention.
Apps. Devices. Notifications. Everyone wants access to your brain.
But you only have so much energy in a day.
And no one is going to protect your focus except you.
Practical ways to protect your focus
So what can we actually do?
1. Limit notifications
You do not need to be available to everyone at all times.
You don’t need to check email every five minutes.
Or respond to every Slack ping or DM like a dog spotting a squirrel.
Have planned check-in times.
Every hour or two, do a quick scan for anything truly urgent.
If there’s no fire? Put it away.
2. Protect focused work time
Block it off.
Tell the people around you.
And hold your ground.
That protected time is where your best work happens.
3. Match tasks to your energy
Do high-focus, creative work when your attention is strongest.
Save invoicing, admin, and data entry for lower-energy parts of the day.
And the real time-wasters — the games, the endless scrolling?
Outside of planned breaks, shut them down.
Yes, it’s uncomfortable at first.
New habits always are.
But stick with it.
The reward is more finished work…
And more actual free time later.
One last thing
You don’t need to beat yourself up for getting distracted.
You need systems.
Support.
And a little compassion.
Community helps too.
Other freelancers get it in a way even the most loving friends and family can’t.
Vent. Share. Normalize the struggle.
This difficulty?
With practice… it becomes capability.
Brain reset complete.
Now — back to work.
And when it’s done?
Go enjoy your distraction on purpose.
This article is based on an episode of my Freelance Fitness podcast, where I combine short workouts with honest conversations about building a sustainable creative freelance business. If you work in video production, audio production, or any creative field and want business advice without hustle culture nonsense, you’re in the right place.
