3. Recognize that busyness is the ultimate distraction.

Contrary to popular opinion, Seneca argues that busyness is an illusion of productivity that actually steals our valuable time:

“No activity can be successfully pursued by an individual who is preoccupied …Living is the least important activity of the preoccupied man; yet there is nothing which is harder to learn.”

We often blame external triggers—people, social media, emails—for our inability to stay focused and avoid distractions.

But in reality, it’s our internal state of emotions that influences our productivity.