If you happen to sit all the way down to do one thing necessary for your online business however then get distracted by one thing pressing, this episode is for you.
I’m sharing what a Distraction Journal is – and how one can begin utilizing one at this time – with the intention to observe by way of on the uncomfortable duties that should be accomplished to construct your online business. I’m additionally sharing why perfectionist pondering causes us to distract ourselves within the first place and the sensible issues you are able to do about it.
If you happen to’re a perfectionist constructing a enterprise, you need to hearken to this episode at this time.
READY FOR MORE?
The Energy Planning Course is now open! If you wish to learn to plan correctly as a perfectionist so you possibly can constantly get your most necessary enterprise duties executed with out burning out, join The Energy Planning Course at this time at samlaurabrown.com/planning.
Perfectionists Getting Shit Performed is opening for one week on 8 April 2026. If you happen to’re prepared for teaching, accountability and help to take constant motion and develop your online business efficiently – and sustainably – be part of the waitlist for PGSD at samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.
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FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
That is the Perfectionism Challenge, the one podcast created particularly for perfectionists who’re constructing companies. I’m your host, Sam Laura Brown, perfectionism knowledgeable and entrepreneur. I train perfectionists how one can plan correctly, constantly observe by way of and relaxation with out guilt to allow them to construct worthwhile and fulfilling companies with out burning out.
I’ve helped over a thousand perfectionist entrepreneurs do precisely that inside my program, Perfectionist Getting Shit Performed. If you happen to’re uninterested in procrastinating, overthinking and half ending your concepts, you’re in the suitable place. Now, let’s dive in.
Sam Laura Brown
Okay, so at this time I simply need to do an episode that I believed I might have already recorded by now, given my almost at 600 episodes, however I’ve not. And I used to be mentioning this on final week’s PGSD teaching name, and everybody appears to be like so stunned. And I simply thought I might share it right here as nicely, as a result of it is a key device that I created and that I exploit very repeatedly, particularly to help me with following by way of on my energy planning.
And I haven’t talked about it for fairly a couple of years, there’s a lesson on it as nicely, someplace inside perfectionist getting shit executed. However I needed to share right here on the podcast with you this actually useful device, as a result of it has made such a distinction for me. And if you end up when you find yourself sitting all the way down to do issues, particularly for your online business, since this podcast is for perfectionist entrepreneurs, should you sit all the way down to do one thing, after which your mind instantly presents you one thing that you just truly do should get executed.
And it suggests to do this proper now, so that you don’t overlook it. So that is my answer to that. And particularly as a result of there’s a lot discomfort with following by way of on duties, you probably have a perfectionist mind, when you find yourself following by way of on duties, you’re risking rejection, failure, you’re inviting self judgment, self criticism, nitpicking, you’re placing in danger your id that you’ve a variety of potential, and that you just’re somebody who’s very succesful, as a result of if you truly full issues and put them out into the world, you may uncover that you just don’t do in addition to you thought you must.
I feel that is among the final perfectionist fears. And I’m truly going to do an episode on it arising. It’s the concern of discovering out or how one can overcome the concern of discovering out that your greatest isn’t adequate.
And in addition how one can overcome the concern that solely your greatest is nice sufficient. And due to this fact, that is should you’re a perfectionist who does a variety of overworking, you’re working on a regular basis doesn’t really feel like overworking, it feels simply obligatory. So I’m going to do two episodes on these ideas.
I’m actually excited to share about that. However it’s a weak factor to do as a perfectionist to finish issues and to make choices and observe by way of on them and put them out into the world and get suggestions about your personal functionality. And in addition simply the personal tales now we have with ourselves, the the way in which that we speak to ourselves as we see ourselves doing one thing poorly or doing one thing and it takes a very very long time.
It simply there’s a variety of feelings that may include that. And so what we love to do is to do one thing that enables us to really feel productive with out having to really feel all of these emotions. And so what I discovered is that my mind and this isn’t for me as a result of I’ve any points with focus, I will be actually centered and observe by way of on issues.
But it surely’s the emotional facet that the perfectionist ideas that I’ve make it actually uncomfortable in my physique to focus generally. As a result of the self-criticism is so intense, the concern is so intense that my mind can focus behind these feelings occurring. I don’t need to really feel them.
And so I’ll do issues to keep away from feeling them with out having to really feel unproductive on the identical time. So for me, I can’t keep in mind the precise 12 months that I began doing this. It might have been perhaps 2018 or 2019.
So I’ve been doing it for a very long time and I’ll share precisely what it’s. You’ll be able to actually begin utilizing this at this time that can assist you. It’s quite simple and so good.
I like it. So after I began doing this easy follow known as The Distraction Journal, I simply needed to have an answer for my mind would simply at all times say to me like, oh my God, you need to ship that e-mail proper now. Or you need to go, there’s like simply one thing pressing you need to do proper now and also you truly should do it and we need to ensure we don’t overlook.
So right here’s what I got here up with. And that is quite simple. So all I do is I’ve a pocket book and I usually after I’m working, I simply have a pocket book subsequent to me.
I like scribbling issues down. So I’ve a pocket book. Mine is a $4 Kmart pocket book.
You shouldn’t have to do something fancy. It may be a bit of paper. It may be no matter.
It may be digital. I’ve executed digital variations as nicely, simply with my notes on my laptop. However I simply discovered that it could get misplaced on my laptop.
It simply wasn’t as easy and straightforward as simply having it actually written with the web page open for The Distraction Journal proper subsequent to me and simply jotting issues down. However you discover what works for you. There’s so many various ways in which this could look.
I’ve experimented at instances with placing it into ChatGPT, like simply having a Distraction Journal thread the place I might simply have that open. As if it’s a pocket book, I simply have that open on my display. And I might write down, and I’ll let you know in a second what to put in writing down, however I’d write one thing down in that.
After which I instructed it at all times simply reply to me and simply say, keep centered, maintain going. So each time I’d put one thing in, it could simply say, keep centered, maintain going. It wouldn’t say 1,000,000 various things or try to give me any suggestions or right here’s a PDF or no matter.
So there’s so many various methods it could look. So right here is the idea. It’s a web page.
I’m going to speak about it within the bodily model, however simply apply this digitally if you wish to do it that approach. So on the high, I simply write Distraction Journal as a result of I usually use completely different notebooks too, and all of that. You don’t should have a devoted pocket book.
Don’t exit to purchase the stationery. I do know all of us love that. Simply use one thing you have already got.
So I simply write Distraction Journal, after which I sometimes will write the date of the day. Quite simple. Then what I’ll do is I’ll do a line in the course of the web page horizontally.
That is simply to divide the web page into two completely different sections. So there’s a high part and a backside part. The highest part says distractions.
I add the second part says to do later. And so what this does is 2 issues. One is within the distraction part.
I wish to, anytime that my mind presents me to do one thing aside from what’s in my energy planning, and that is why energy planning is so important as a result of should you don’t know what you’re truly aspiring to do, and should you’re not very clear on that, then it is rather exhausting to know what a distraction is. It is vitally straightforward to simply be like, oh, this isn’t a distraction. I simply actually should get this executed.
And so if you end up ping ponging between completely different duties all through the day, after which you find yourself on the finish of the week feeling such as you didn’t make progress, although you had been so busy doing stuff, I extremely advocate beginning energy planning. You’ll be able to join the ability planning course at this time. I’ll go away the hyperlink within the present notes and be taught that.
It takes one afternoon to be taught it, after which you possibly can have the readability and the versatile construction you want that works together with your perfectionist mind as an alternative of in opposition to it to be clear on what that you must do to construct your online business after which truly do it within the time that you’ve in a approach that’s in alignment together with your values and your strengths as nicely, like the way in which you truly need to construct your online business. So it is a complementary device with the ability planning. If you’re not energy planning and also you’re perhaps both doing like basic time blocking, which for perfectionists tends to be actually over-scheduled and inflexible and due to this fact doesn’t work, it simply seems perfectionism handbrake on.
If in case you have an extended to-do record and then you definitely spotlight a couple of priorities, it’s to not say any of these methods are flawed. I’ve simply discovered for my shoppers too that the strategy of energy planning is actually probably the most supportive approach. It incorporates every little thing that helps you to take motion on actually uncomfortable issues and to relaxation with out guilt and to have the ability to have a life outdoors of your online business as nicely.
And should you’re neurodivergent, it additionally helps all of the issues that must occur that can assist you focus. So it’s to not say any of these issues are flawed and you’ll do that should you had been doing one thing aside from energy planning. I simply extremely advocate energy planning should you’re a perfectionist, particularly should you’re constructing a enterprise and also you’ve bought loads in your plate and also you need to truly get shit executed with out burning out.
So I’ve the distractions part and I’ll write down something that I need to do or I’ve the will to do this isn’t what I’m at present engaged on proper now and I’ll write it as a distraction. Say, for instance, if it’s like scrolling or usually what my mind will do is like, oh, that random person who I haven’t considered in 10 years or like that random celeb, I must go and have a look at their Instagram account proper now as a result of I noticed them in a TV present and it’ll simply supply me like, let’s do something aside from following by way of on the precise duties you’re doing as a result of it’s actually uncomfortable to be following by way of on that process. As I discussed, it brings up the danger of failure, rejection, self-criticism and like all of that even when it’s a profitable factor outwardly that inwardly I don’t really feel profitable as I’m creating it and that feels very uncomfortable.
So there’s simply going to be that like emotional storm that comes and so my mind will supply me so many various particular little issues. So within the distraction part, I’ll simply write down any of these issues which are distractions. I’m like, I don’t actually need to do this later or generally even issues like that.
I’ll write that within the to-do later part after which in terms of later, and I’ll discuss this in a second, however in terms of in a while, I’ll assessment every little thing and determine what I truly need to do. However I’ll simply, some issues are simply blatant distractions, so like rise up and go to the kitchen after I’m not truly hungry, like there’s a variety of issues like that that my mind, particularly after I’m feeling uncomfortable, like my legs simply need to transfer me out of wherever I’m. I simply need to like bodily transfer away and so I might simply write that in distractions.
However the important thing to this, as a result of I used to simply do the distraction journal with simply the distractions, the important thing factor that shifted issues to me is having this to-do later part as a result of such a powerful objection from my mind was, however you even have to do this, that factor actually is necessary. And if it was one thing that I had procrastinated on, say if it was like sending an necessary e-mail to somebody and I used to be meant to do this yesterday, my mind is like, nicely that’s already overdue, you had been already behind on that. In order that must be executed proper this second and it needs to be executed now, in any other case we gained’t keep in mind since you didn’t keep in mind yesterday and the rationale I didn’t keep in mind the day earlier than is as a result of it was uncomfortable to do it.
And so now it’s like my mind is barely remembering it as a result of it could relatively try this uncomfortable factor than the extra uncomfortable factor that I must do to construct my enterprise. So I’ve this to-do later part that I simply will add in when my mind presents me these particular issues, I’ll simply write it down. So I can know, principally I’m outsmarting my mind, I can know that in a while I will probably be reviewing this record and I gained’t be forgetting to ship that necessary e-mail as a result of I’ve someplace particular that I’ve captured it and I’m within the behavior of capturing it on this approach.
Plus with energy planning, you’re already significantly better at proactively enthusiastic about issues as an alternative of simply relying in your reminiscence to carry all of it. Whenever you’re energy planning, your energy planning will maintain a variety of the data that you just at present maintain in your mind. So you’ll simply, on the whole, be loads higher at remembering issues.
However my mind will probably be like, oh, however we’re going to overlook it. So I’ve this to-do later, I’ll add it in there and simply as I’m going. So this morning after I was doing… So at this time for me is Tuesday, which is my Monday, my first day of the week.
And I do my weekly assessment, I do a enterprise and monetary assessment and I do my energy planning to begin my week, to attach in with my enterprise, with myself, with my week, with my objectives. Like there’s an entire course of that I’m going by way of. That is what we train you in PGSD.
There’s an entire course of that I’m going by way of to attach into every little thing that issues and set myself up for a very profitable and productive and restful week. In order I used to be doing that, I had so many issues that I needed to do as an alternative as a result of it may be uncomfortable to go searching at every little thing. It may be tedious at instances, prefer it simply isn’t probably the most pleasing factor to do ever, I discover, for me.
I’ve dread about it generally. I simply don’t… I’m not like, oh my god, that is the very best factor ever. Despite the fact that I like reflecting, I like planning, nevertheless it simply… I can have dread about it.
I can have resistance about it. So I used to be having all of those distractions and I used to be writing them down of issues that I needed to be distracted by however wasn’t. So I’d write it down as an alternative of being distracted.
I might simply write down the factor I needed to be distracted by. Or when there are occasions the place there’s a distraction and I let myself be distracted by that, I nonetheless write that down as nicely. It’s simply having that consciousness as a result of as you do that increasingly more, you’ll be like, oh, I can see me.
There are these three key issues I do as a distraction. You’re most likely like, I already know what I do to distract myself, however there are some refined issues. If it’s like, oh, out of the blue I keep in mind I must put the laundry on proper after I’m midway by way of writing my weekly e-mail publication.
You’ll begin to see patterns like that. However your mind will give you this legitimate life admin process at a very handy time on your personal feelings and luxury ranges. So you possibly can actually, and that is, I like all of the instruments.
That is development purpose, energy planning, clear relaxation. All of it’s to help you with reference to your self and never simply self-awareness however self-awareness which you can truly do one thing with and really create change and really not simply be annoyed by the attention after which simply have it and never have the ability to be any completely different, however to have the ability to discover the distractions. Then you can begin planning for that in your energy planning.
I gained’t go into that on this episode. It’s past the scope of it, however when you find yourself energy planning, you’ll be able to, when you may have the attention that comes from utilizing the distraction journal, you’ll be able to actually simply preempt your self in a approach that’s in any other case difficult to do, whilst somebody who is actually self-aware, whilst somebody who feels very in tune with how they function, what their limiting beliefs are, how they work greatest, any of that. This actually will increase self-awareness in a sensible approach that then helps you to make even higher plans to observe by way of on.
For instance, should you maintain noticing that in your distractions you need to scroll, it might be you simply actually need to have that as an specific exercise that you just do together with your time, however you don’t have a delegated time for that, so that you’re looking for someplace to squeeze it in, for instance. Within the to-do later, I used to be simply writing down all of those various things that I must do. I used to be speaking to somebody on my crew about one thing particular that was private life, admin stuff as nicely that I must do.
My mind was like, oh, go do that. Oh, go try this. Oh, go try this.
I simply captured it. Then what I did after that’s, and you are able to do this both after, you probably have a variety of stuff come out, you are able to do it then, however I sometimes will on the finish of the day or if there’s a variety of stuff, proper earlier than I’ve lunch after which on the finish of the day once more, any of that to-do later stuff, I’ll have a look at and actually decide, does any of that really should be executed now? If that’s the case, particularly, when am I going to do it? Then I’ll modify my energy planning and do my little tweaks in order that I’m not simply making an attempt to squeeze every little thing in always. It’s actually difficult to construct your online business in a very sustainable approach that you just get pleasure from if there are many issues that must get executed, however you don’t give your self satisfactory time to do it.
You’re simply always squeezing issues in and due to this fact probably not in a position to even belief your self that you’ll get issues executed as a result of oftentimes after we attempt to squeeze issues in, both we then simply sacrifice our personal wellbeing to do this or they don’t get executed as a result of life occurred after which that factor that was going to get squeezed on this weekend couldn’t get squeezed in. So we need to not be squeezing issues in.
We need to have a plan and generally it’s such as you simply must group a bunch of this stuff collectively and have a half an hour block the place you simply ship that e-mail after which make that cellphone name after which guide that appointment, however truly giving your self time to do issues will actually change the way you relate to your self and the way you’re feeling about the way you’re doing as a result of should you by no means give your self sufficient time to succeed at stuff, no marvel you at all times really feel such as you’re failing.
No marvel you at all times really feel such as you’re behind. It’s such an necessary piece of having the ability to really feel profitable each day after which truly achieve success by way of your accomplishments is giving your self satisfactory time for issues. Once we really feel time strain with perfectionism pondering, we’ll try to actually underestimate, like be tremendous optimistic is one other option to say it.
Be tremendous optimistic and hopeful about how lengthy every little thing will take. So we give ourselves much less time and then you definitely may give your self a a lot shorter lunch break and then you definitely’ll underestimate your commute or how lengthy it takes to do a exercise otherwise you’ll skip issues like a exercise altogether. So basically on your energy planning, we’re shifting how we relate to time and getting out of that shortage of I don’t have sufficient time after which that places strain on you and due to this fact you’re feeling burdened and due to this fact you don’t make good decisions about what to do together with your time and due to this fact you don’t truly get issues accomplished and shipped and executed which suggests you then are simply busy and exhausted however not truly making progress.
So then you definitely really feel much more behind, then you definitely put extra strain on your self, you’re feeling extra burdened, use your time extra poorly and so the cycle repeats. So we get out of that. Partly one of many steps of doing that’s truly giving your self time to do issues wild and provides your self time to do issues and shifting the way in which that you just relate to time and also you relate to your self is actually necessary with that and I train that in PGSD and likewise within the energy planning course as nicely however when you may have this to-do later part the place you possibly can seize these issues, in the end what it lets you do is when your mind says oh no no we will’t end that e-mail publication now, we will’t try this publish now, now we have to particularly should you discover like 80% of the way in which by way of getting one thing executed that’s when your mind’s like oh my god I simply had this concept, oh my god I simply realized I needed to do one thing as a result of it might be like inspiring enterprise concepts as nicely like oh my god I’m gonna begin this new factor and I’m gonna do it proper now as a result of I really feel so impressed.
That’s one other to-do later merchandise to notice down however should you simply discover that you’re within the behavior of not following by way of since you interrupt your self about 80% of the way in which by way of finishing one thing or perhaps it’s 20% in to finishing one thing that you just interrupt your self with a distraction or a to-do later merchandise both it’s an inspiring thought or it’s life admin, enterprise admin, one thing that you just’re behind on that you must have executed yesterday, you must have executed every week in the past, you must have executed a month in the past that this may let you keep centered on what truly must be accomplished which you’ll know since you’re energy planning and if you’re energy planning you may have your development purpose.
You already know what your needle movers are so your week isn’t simply centered round being busy, your week is targeted round doing what is going to truly construct your online business and so that may embody duties that may make you’re feeling completely different emotions, generally it will likely be you’re feeling actually excited and impressed however different instances you’ll really feel dread, different instances you’ll have emotions that you just need to distract your self from and so what we need to do is figure whereas these emotions are there so persevering with to work when you really feel uncomfortable, persevering with to work when you really feel dread like you probably have executed like myself, you probably have executed any college diploma, school diploma, education, you understand how to finish issues whereas feeling dread, you understand how to do this and in order that’s what we have to do to construct your online business as nicely and what occurred is if you had been at school there was an exterior deadline and then you definitely’re like okay nicely now I actually should get it executed as a result of I don’t need to be the one who doesn’t hand it in and likewise now I don’t have sufficient time to make it excellent so it’s okay if it’s not excellent and the work that comes up in entrepreneurship and that is one thing main that we help on Inside PGSD.
Is that as a result of there are not any exterior deadlines for the actually necessary stuff that usually will probably be for say shopper work and issues like that however issues like beginning a YouTube channel or a podcast or following up with a lead or various things like that there’s no exterior deadline so you need to learn to observe by way of on issues even when it’s uncomfortable when there isn’t any exterior deadline and how one can get your self help your self to finish issues that you just’d relatively not do with the intention to obtain one thing that you just in the end actually need and the one motive usually that you just’d relatively not do the factor isn’t since you don’t get pleasure from it nevertheless it’s since you’re having perfectionist ideas that make it unenjoyable.
Since you’re judging your self since you’re criticizing your self since you’re worrying about what different folks will suppose since you’re placing a lot strain on your self for it to be excellent all of the enjoyable is zapped proper out of it so in PGSD we be taught we train you how one can shift that perfectionist pondering as nicely in a very intentional and direct approach but additionally this actually helps you as you’re.
I at all times love the sensible issues as you’re actually in the course of doing a process as an alternative of going to do some self-coaching and there’s a time and a spot for self-coaching however my advice is should you’re proper in the course of a process that you’ve your distraction journal subsequent to you simply your piece of paper or your pocket book or your digital be aware no matter you need to use and also you seize for your self what are the distractions which and that is all of the stuff that isn’t what you had deliberate to take action together with your energy plan you’ll be clear on precisely what you’re going to do with a sure block of time and the result not simply the exercise of like replace web site however this particular final result for instance if it’s about me web page printed one thing that’s actually clear you possibly can inform whether or not or not it’s executed as an alternative of similar to work on launch work on web site do e-mail advertising and marketing like that’s so imprecise it’s simply gonna flip your perfectionism handbrake on.
So with this it actually helps you within the second to have the ability to keep centered on what issues probably the most after which and that is key and once more you’ll be taught this within the energy planning course and inside PGSD as nicely that with all of this that I’ve been speaking about it most likely doesn’t sound any enjoyable to your online business and there’s a lot of enjoyable stuff about constructing a enterprise but additionally you’ll at instances that is the fact of it you’ll at instances must do issues that really feel uncomfortable and so what to do to help you with that’s to have clear relaxation time time the place you’re deliberately saying I’m not going to be engaged on my enterprise at the moment and even when I need to I’m not going to.
With the intention to truly permit your mind to change off and you’re additionally going to have buffer time in your calendar as nicely so should you do get distracted that’s okay that’s okay you’ve accounted for that you just’ve bought buffer time so if one thing took you longer than you deliberate that’s okay and we do our little tweaks we’re making changes to your calendar as we go to maintain it workable so it’s not like time blocking the place you simply fall off and also you’re like okay I’ll strive once more subsequent Monday and then you definitely keep on it perhaps Monday afternoon you’re already behind and then you definitely simply strive once more one other week should you’re having follow-through issues and also you’re a perfectionist entrepreneur and perhaps there are issues at play as nicely like ADHD as there are for a lot of of our PGSDers which you can have sensible instruments like energy planning and just like the distraction journal which you’ll actually begin utilizing at this time I’ve simply instructed you precisely how one can do it that’s an entire tutorial on how one can do the distraction journal.
And that may actually help you to observe by way of there isn’t one thing flawed with you you simply haven’t bought the suitable instruments and the suitable strategies to help your perfectionist mind and the way it truly works and due to the perfectionist pondering and the perfectionist fears that have you ever put a lot strain on issues and have you ever self-criticize and decide your self as you’re finishing issues and have you ever not need to full issues as a result of it feels scary to finish it and danger discovering out that that concept that was so good in your head didn’t truly work out in the actual world.
These are actually sensible issues that may actually help you and I simply I was somebody who couldn’t observe by way of with stuff and undoubtedly couldn’t observe by way of constantly after which the instruments of the distraction journal and likewise energy planning coupled with the expansion purpose needle movers and clear relaxation that’s what has allowed me to turn out to be somebody who whilst a perfectionist who nonetheless has a variety of that perfectionist pondering and people perfectionist fears they don’t trigger issues like they used to as a result of I’m working with my perfectionist mind as an alternative of in opposition to it.
So I hope this episode has been extremely useful and I need to invite you to hitch us inside perfectionist getting shit executed after we open for enrollment on the eighth of April for one week solely so you’ll be taught energy planning and the expansion purpose and needle movers and clear relaxation and you’ll get teaching and help and accountability and group and there are such a lot of different issues as nicely which are taught in PGSD to help you with taking motion with out burning out and constructing a enterprise that’s profitable and really feels such as you is definitely what you need to be constructing so I actually need to invite you in samlaurabrown.com/pgsd. Did I say that earlier than I can’t keep in mind however I’ll add that hyperlink under and go and be part of the wait record so that you will be the primary to know when doorways open and so yow will discover out extra about this system as nicely and prepare to hitch us inside so that’s all for this episode I hope you’re having a good looking day and I’ll speak to you within the subsequent one.
Outro
If you happen to get pleasure from this podcast, I like to recommend signing up for the waitlist for my program known as Perfectionist Getting Shit Performed, aka PGSD. It is a program designed that can assist you get out of your personal approach in your online business. You’re going to learn to launch your perfectionism handbrake by setting a development purpose for your online business, planning correctly as a perfectionist with energy planning, and getting common guilt-free clear relaxation.
You’ll be taught the talents required to get out of your personal approach and be supported each step of the way in which to do it. To search out out extra about this system and be part of the waitlist at this time, go to samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.
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