{"id":42258,"date":"2021-07-24T10:19:50","date_gmt":"2021-07-24T14:19:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=42258"},"modified":"2026-05-03T14:21:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T18:21:14","slug":"external-triggers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/external-triggers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reduce External Triggers for Distraction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Do you struggle with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/addicted-to-distraction\/\">workplace distractions<\/a>? What are the two worst <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/external-trigger-vs-internal-trigger\/\">external triggers<\/a> for distraction and stress? Is it possible to control the environment around you and cut them out?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Nir Eyal, the two biggest external triggers for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/manage-distractions-at-work\/\">distraction at work<\/a> are other people and email. It may be impossible to cut them out of your workday, but it is possible to reduce distraction from communication by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/when-to-say-no\/\">setting boundaries<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is what Nir Eyal has to say about reducing distractions from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/professional\/work\/communication\/professional-communication-skills\/\">communication at work<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cut-out-external-triggers\"><strong>Cut Out External Triggers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The third element of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/becoming-indistractable\/\">becoming indistractable<\/a> is reducing the external triggers in your life. <\/strong>While internal triggers are frequent drivers of distraction, external triggers constantly invade our lives with beeps, pop-up notifications, vibrations, alarms, and so on. They tempt you with an escape from any internal discomfort you may be feeling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It\u2019s vital that you get a handle on the external triggers around you because they don\u2019t just interrupt you for a moment\u2014they can derail your workflow for an extended period. <\/strong>Research shows that when people are interrupted during a task\u2014to answer a message or check their email, for example\u2014they\u2019ll try to compensate when they return to the task by working faster, but with higher stress levels.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, the answer isn\u2019t so easy as refusing to respond to incoming emails or turning your phone facedown.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One study showed that simply <em>receiving<\/em> a notification is just as distracting as <em>responding <\/em>to a message or call.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Furthermore, the mere presence of your phone\u2014even if you\u2019re not looking at it\u2014strains your attention because a portion of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/mental-energy\/\">mental energy<\/a> is allocated to ignoring your phone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sort-your-external-triggers\"><strong>Sort Your External Triggers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Deciding how to handle external triggers can be complicated because while most are distractions, <em>some<\/em> can help you build traction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, you may have alarms that keep you on track with your timeboxed schedule, health apps that send reminders to drink water and stretch, and so on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s up to you to decide which of your device\u2019s triggers are useful and which are distracting. <strong>Give each trigger an <\/strong><strong><em>honest<\/em><\/strong><strong> assessment by asking yourself: Does this trigger benefit <\/strong><strong><em>me<\/em><\/strong><strong>, or do I benefit <\/strong><strong><em>it<\/em><\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two types of external triggers you\u2019ll have to adjust in your life\u2014triggers that come from a lack of boundaries around your communication with others, and triggers that stem from the technology you use every day. In this article, we\u2019ll explore ways to reduce distraction from communication without boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trigger-1-other-people\"><strong>Trigger #1: Other People<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Other people<\/em> are some of the most pervasive distractions in your workplace. <strong>This problem is especially present in modern office environments, as 70% of American offices have adopted \u201copen floor plans.\u201d<\/strong> This means that employees don\u2019t have closed-off workspaces that they can retreat to for deep focus. Instead, they\u2019re in the middle of a sea of triggers\u2014they can see what their colleagues are doing, overhear conversations, see who\u2019s coming in and out, smell the donuts in the break room, and so on. These constant distractions slow down your work, force you to catch up by working faster with more stress, and decrease your overall satisfaction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-send-the-right-message\"><strong>Send the Right Message<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You can\u2019t control everything that\u2019s happening around you in your work environment, but you <\/strong><strong><em>can<\/em><\/strong><strong> control your messaging. <\/strong>Create an obvious visual cue that tells other people that you\u2019re not available for interruption. This can take any form that makes sense to you:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A large piece of cardstock on the top of your computer monitor with a message such as, \u201cI\u2019m focusing right now, please come back later.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taping a sign to the back of your chair that says, \u201cPlease don\u2019t interrupt me right now. I\u2019ll be available at 3.\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A designated hat or pair of headphones that signify deep focus time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to talk to everyone in your workspace\u2014whether you\u2019re in an office environment or working from home\u2014about your system, for three reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You ensure that they understand your commitment to being indistractable and don\u2019t interrupt you.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They\u2019re forced to think about their behaviors, and they\u2019ll be more aware of interrupting you and others in the future.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They may learn from you and make their own signal to show that they need time without interruptions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trigger-2-email-nbsp\"><strong>Trigger #2: Email&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Checking your email and responding to messages may <em>feel<\/em> productive, but it\u2019s a huge source of distraction in your life. <strong>The average employee receives 100+ emails per day\u2014that means that if you spend just two minutes reading and replying to each message, you\u2019re spending nearly <\/strong><strong><em>three and a half hours<\/em><\/strong><strong> per day on email. <\/strong>Compounding email\u2019s distracting power is the fact that, on average, it takes you 64 seconds to refocus on your work after checking your email. Every time your phone dings with an email alert, you lose at least a minute.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The total time you spend on email is made up of a) how much time you spend checking your inbox and b) how much time you spend responding to messages. By reducing the time you spend on these activities, you can reclaim hours of your day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-spend-less-time-checking-your-inbox\"><strong>Spend Less Time Checking Your Inbox<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You may <\/strong><strong><em>rationally<\/em><\/strong><strong> know that checking your email constantly is a waste of your time and a serious interruption of your focus\u2014but most of us just can\u2019t stop. <\/strong>This is due to two elements of human psychology.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Your inbox offers <\/strong><strong><em>random rewards<\/em><\/strong><strong>. <\/strong>When you can\u2019t predict when an action will reward you, the action becomes exciting or tempting. This is the same factor that makes gambling so addictive\u2014you never know if the next $20 you bet will reward you with a jackpot. Your inbox delivers random rewards in the same fashion. Sometimes it contains useless or boring messages, other times an important message from your boss, a piece of good news, or a message from a friend. You can\u2019t stop checking, <em>just in case<\/em> the next click delivers a reward.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Make your inbox as predictable as possible to make it less tempting.<\/strong> Unsubscribe from any emails that aren\u2019t useful any longer, such as newsletters or retail promos. You can do this in a dedicated hour, or streamline your inbox over a matter of weeks by unsubscribing from unwanted emails as they come in.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2) You\u2019re inclined to reciprocate communication. <\/strong>Humans are social creatures that mirror the actions of others\u2014when someone smiles at you, you\u2019ll smile back. While this <em>reciprocity cycle<\/em> is fine in person, helping you establish social connections, it becomes a problem online. When someone sends you a message, you\u2019re naturally inclined to respond right away. Unfortunately, this prompts the <em>other<\/em> person to respond right away, which triggers you to respond\u2014it becomes a stressful, fast-paced cycle. <strong>By finding ways to <\/strong><strong><em>send<\/em><\/strong><strong> fewer emails, you can break the cycle of reciprocity and ensure that you\u2019ll <\/strong><strong><em>receive <\/em><\/strong><strong>fewer emails. <\/strong>There are two ways to accomplish this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Create office hours for non-urgent matters. <\/strong>Instead of responding to someone\u2019s question right away, you might say, \u201cI have some time open on Wednesday and Friday from 2-3. If you\u2019d still like to talk about this at that time, feel free to stop by my desk!\u201d This prevents you and the other person from replying back and forth multiple times and creates a \u201ccooling off\u201d period for the question\u2014often, the sender will find a solution on their own, or the problem resolves itself or becomes irrelevant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manually slow down reciprocity. <\/strong>Most people send emails immediately after writing them. When you and another person are keeping up a fast-paced back-and-forth, the matter can feel deserving of your immediate attention\u2014even when it\u2019s not urgent at all. Use your email service\u2019s \u201cdelayed delivery\u201d tool to send your emails a few hours or days after you write them. This clears the email off your plate but doesn\u2019t prompt a quick reply from the other person. Additionally, this service can prevent you from getting replies when you don\u2019t want them\u2014for example, if you answer emails on Friday afternoons but don\u2019t want replies over the weekend, you can delay their delivery until Monday morning.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you struggle with workplace distractions? What are the two worst external triggers for distraction and stress? Is it possible to control the environment around you and cut them out? According to Nir Eyal, the two biggest external triggers for distraction at work are other people and email. It may be impossible to cut them out of your workday, but it is possible to reduce distraction from communication by setting boundaries. Here is what Nir Eyal has to say about reducing distractions from communication at work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":42322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,34,30],"tags":[428],"class_list":["post-42258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career","category-communication","category-work","tag-indistractable","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Reduce External Triggers for Distraction - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Nir Eyal says that the two worst forms external triggers for distraction at work are other people and email. 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