Focused distractions as an antidote to creative blocks

We’ve been told distraction is the enemy. But what if that’s only half true?

Michael Roberto, in his book Unlocking Creativity, says when the work is creative, when you’re solving problems you’ve never seen before, there’s a limit to how long you can run at full speed. The brain tires. It needs to slow down to conserve energy.

That’s when he says you need a “focused distraction.”

Not doomscrolling. Not email. Something that lets your subconscious keep working while you do something else.

I first came across this idea when I was in the thick of writing my book Problem Hunter. The mental grind on top of daily work brought on a new level brain drain.

As I felt my thinking speed start to fade, I found I needed to take action fast to avoid a full on unproductive brain crash. So I'd go for a walk in a park, head to the gym or rehydrate and eat. Sometimes I needed all three.

I found AI helpful here too. I used prompts like, “Summarise the current situation, key challenges, and possible next steps in bullet points” to organise my thoughts before I stepped away, so my brain was free to wander productively. I forced myself to read what AI said three times so I locked it in.

When I didn't do this, my productivity fell off a cliff.

Focused distractions aren't wasted minutes. They were brain refuelling stops for me. And it's where I often had my biggest breakthrough ideas.

The next time you’re stuck, instead of grinding harder. Try taking a step sideways.

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