In partnership with

Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it.

— SPONSORED AD —

Receive Honest News Today

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Sign up today!

— END SPONSORED AD —

📈 How to Catch the Distractions You Don’t Notice

On Monday, I sent an email about the importance of doing an Energy Audit (Why Energy > Time, and How I Proved It).

In that message, I shared how my AI Music Project only started to take off when I stopped treating it like a side hustle and instead began working on it during my peak energy hours. The lesson was simple: it’s not just about managing your time — it’s about managing your energy.

And the feedback I received from many of you confirmed it: once you start noticing what fuels you and what drains you, everything changes.

But there’s another kind of audit that’s just as important — and it’s one that most people never think to do.

It’s called a Distraction Audit.

What Is a Distraction Audit?

A distraction audit is a systematic way to identify the things that pull your focus away from what matters most.

If an energy audit helps you figure out when you work best, a distraction audit helps you figure out why you’re not working as deeply as you could.

Think of it like this:

● Energy is the fuel that powers your work.

● Distractions are the leaks in your gas tank.

No matter how much energy you generate, if you’re constantly leaking focus through distractions, you’ll never get very far.

— SPONSORED AD —

Stay organized and achieve your goals with the Time Management & Productivity Printable Bundle.

Featuring 25+ tools like habit trackers, goal planners, time-blocking templates, and daily schedules in various increments, it’s designed to suit any lifestyle.

From project planning to energy audits, this bundle has everything you need to streamline your day and make progress effortlessly.

— END SPONSORED AD —

Why Distractions Matter More Than You Think

According to research from the University of California, Irvine, the average worker is interrupted every 11 minutes — and it takes about 25 minutes to return to the original task.

That means a single distraction can cost you more than double the time it takes to actually deal with it.

And it’s not just about time. Constant distractions increase stress, reduce creativity, and make it harder to enter a state of flow. Over time, they chip away at confidence and momentum.

The scary part? Most of us don’t even notice how many distractions we deal with daily. They’ve become invisible.

That’s where a distraction audit comes in.

Common Distractions to Watch For

Before we get into the process, let’s look at some examples of what distractions might look like in real life:

● Digital Distractions

○ Constant phone notifications

○ Checking email every few minutes

○ Social media scrolling

○ News alerts or breaking headlines

○ Slack/Teams pings

● Environmental Distractions

○ A cluttered desk or workspace

○ Noise from TV, kids, or roommates

○ Interruptions from coworkers or family

○ Poor lighting or uncomfortable seating

● Internal Distractions

○ Multitasking

○ Daydreaming or worrying

○ Hunger or fatigue

○ Lack of clarity about what to do next

● Social Distractions

○ Random phone calls or texts

○ “Got a minute?” interruptions

○ Meetings without clear agendas

○ Gossip or idle chatter

Some distractions are obvious. But others are subtle — the kind you only notice once you start paying close attention.

How to Perform a Distraction Audit

Here’s a step-by-step process you can use to uncover and manage your distractions:

Step 1: Track Your Workday

For 3–5 days, keep a log of your work. Every time you get distracted, pause and write it down. Note:

● What the distraction was

● How long it lasted

● How it made you feel afterward

Example:

9:15 a.m. → Checked Instagram for 10 minutes → Felt guilty, lost momentum.

2:30 p.m. → Coworker stopped by to chat for 15 minutes → Felt drained, hard to restart.

Step 2: Categorize the Distractions

At the end of each day, group your distractions into categories:

● Digital

● Environmental

● Internal

● Social

This helps you see patterns. For example, you might discover that 80% of your distractions are digital.

Step 3: Identify Your Triggers

Ask yourself: What usually happens right before I get distracted?

● Do you reach for your phone when you feel stuck?

● Do you check email when you’re avoiding a hard task?

● Do you get interrupted more often in the afternoon than the morning?

Understanding triggers is key to prevention.

Step 4: Eliminate or Reduce

For each category, brainstorm ways to reduce or eliminate the distraction. Examples:

● Digital: Turn off non-essential notifications, use website blockers, check email at set times.

● Environmental: Declutter your desk, use noise-canceling headphones, set boundaries with family.

● Internal: Break big projects into smaller tasks, use a to-do list, schedule breaks.

● Social: Block focus time on your calendar, set “do not disturb” signals, shorten meetings.

Step 5: Replace With Focus Rituals

It’s not enough to remove distractions — you need to replace them with habits that support focus.

● Start your work block with a clear intention.

● Use techniques like Pomodoro (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off).

● Reward yourself after a period of deep work.

Step 6: Revisit Regularly

Just like an energy audit, a distraction audit isn’t one-and-done. Your environment, tools, and habits will change. Re-run the audit every few months to stay sharp.

A Tool to Help

Doing this on your own is possible — but it’s much easier with structure. That’s why I recommend the Time Management & Productivity Bundle on Etsy: Time Management & Productivity Printable.

It includes a Time Audit worksheet that’s perfect for distraction tracking. You can log your activities, mark the interruptions, and quickly see where your focus is leaking.

This bundle makes the whole process simple and visual — and once you see the patterns, you can start fixing them.

Final Thoughts on Distractions

On Monday, I talked about doing an Energy Audit — learning when you’re at your best and aligning your work with those peak hours.

Today, we’ve looked at the other side of the coin: the Distraction Audit. Because even if you’re working at your best time of day, constant interruptions will sabotage your progress.

Here’s the good news: once you start noticing your distractions, they lose their power. You can design your environment, your habits, and your schedule to protect your focus.

So here’s my challenge: This week, do a distraction audit. Track your interruptions. Categorize them. Find the patterns. And then take one small step to reduce them.

And if you want a tool to make it easier, grab the Time Management & Productivity Printable. It’s a simple system that can help you reclaim your focus — and finally do the deep work that matters most.

Because when you manage your energy and your attention, you unlock the kind of progress that changes everything.

Talk soon,

Steve

📰 Newsletters You Might Like

📩 Big Desk Energy: Startup insights, stories, and vibes sent to your inbox every Tuesday.

🧠 dumbify: Get Smarter by Thinking Dumber. Your weekly guide to unconventional thinking, unique insights, and ridiculous ideas that show how 'dumb' thinking can lead to better solutions.

⚡Jolt Network: Weekly skills and job leads with a side of ‘I understood that reference’.

🗂️ The Resource Roundup

😡 41 Pieces of Very Bad Emotional Advice: A tongue-in-cheek roundup of common but misguided emotional advice, with insights on what actually works instead.

🧠 On the Reverse Flynn Effect: Cal Newport explores research suggesting average IQ scores may be declining, and what this means for education, work, and society.

🔋 The 2 Types of Passion: A breakdown of the difference between harmonious and obsessive passion, and how to cultivate the kind that fuels you without burning you out.