“Remember, a layer of dust protects the wood beneath it.” 

I ran across that old saying this morning.  I couldn’t help but laugh, of course.  And then, I wondered how many hours or days of my life I’ve spent dusting.  Just dusting.

Dusting away things that keep coming back, no matter how carefully or how often I dust. 

By now you’re probably wondering if I’m really posting about dusting, because you know me better than that.  And you’d be right.  This isn’t about dusting at all. 

It’s about all the ways, over the years, that I’ve kept myself busy doing things that, in the end, brought me no closer to doing what I really love.  Or, closer to discovering what it is I really want to accomplish in my lifetime.

Can you relate?

I’ve discovered that, if I allow the beast to take control, I will never run out of things to do that keep me too busy to pursue those important things. 

• Cleaning (like most things) can be a great avoidance tactic.  It can turn me into the Queen of Procrastination, if I let it.
• It can serve as a soothing thing.  For some, even a stress reliever.  So, it’s not necessarily a negative thing…
• Dusting and the other millions of things I ’should’ do can keep me stalled.  The list is endless.
• Getting distracted and looking up hours later — to realize I accomplished absolutely nothing useful.
• The truly important things are still there, waiting patiently for me.
• But, I lose a small part of me when I keep allowing this to happen.

I’m slowly and systematically removing myself from distractions that add no value.  They’re history.  That’s my starting point to get back on track, to the important things I value.

How about you?  Do you find yourself distracted much too often?

What will you do to lessen or eliminate the Dreaded Distractions?  If you’ve already conquered them, how did you do it?  What has helped you in the past?

Please share your thoughts in the Comments section below.  (I hope I’m not the only one who has had to Deal with the Dreaded Distractions.  Tell me it ain’t so.)