Tuesday Ten Linkup - Ten Things That Distract Me

Welcome to our 3rd Tuesday Ten Link Up party!

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Did you know that today is National Squirrel Day!!  Yep - No kidding!

Credit for Squirrel Photo

If you have children, and probably even if you don't, when you hear the word "squirrel" you will remember this scene from the Pixar movie Up!

Of course, Dug the dog, and some other dogs in the movie, are highly distracted by squirrels.  So, we thought it would be fun on National Squirrel Day, to talk about the things that are most distracting to us!

1. Of course, #1 on the list is my kids.  It doesn't matter if I'm at my desk, cooking supper, or in the shower, if they need something, they will interrupt without a second thought.  "I need this," or "Can you help me with that" are words that are constantly pulling my attention away from doing other things.
2. Not far behind the kids is my husband.  When he is traveling for work, he is gone 24/7.  But, when he is home, he works out of a home office and it is the complete opposite -he is home 24/7.  He isn't quite as needy as the kids (after all, he can scoop his own ice cream), but he frequently wants to ask me a question, or have me proofread an email, or asks me to make him some lunch.  He doesn't hesitate to come into the bathroom while I'm showering or "otherwise indisposed."  Sometimes, though, the distractions are good - like when we go out for a Friday lunch date.  (And, yes dear, I know you could say the same thing about me interrupting you!)  
3. I can't put my kids and husband on the list without adding the dog as well!  Our border collie, Sophie, is a good dog most of the time.  However, especially this time of year, she wants in the house and then back out and then back in again.  If she's in, she will begin to pace until someone lets her out.  She barks at anything that moves in our front yard and stalks me when I'm in the kitchen just waiting for me to drop a morsel of food.
   
   "Me?  Distract you??  Never!  Squirrel!!!"
   
   
4. My family would say that my blog is one GIANT distraction.  It is something that is extremely important to me, but I do admit that it is just an all-consuming hobby.  After all, I have yet to make one single dime from my blog or my writing, so I can't call it a "job."  I spend an enormous amount of time writing, reading, commenting, sharing on social media, and planning.  I suppose I could spend all those hours making my house completely spotless or at the gym making myself all skinny and buff, but I love my blog and the friendships it has helped me to make, so it is a distraction I don't mind.  (Just don't ask my hubby and kids how they feel about all of that!) 
5. Another thing that distracts me is email.  I can be sitting at my desk typing a blog post and my phone or computer will "ding" with an email notification.  It's almost like an impulse to stop what I'm doing and check it.  I always have to check my phone one last time before I go to bed, too.
6. Facebook is another big distraction.  Often, if I find I have just a couple minutes to spare I'll think, "I'm just going to check Facebook super quick" and then, several minutes later time has gotten away from me and I'm running late.  If I really need to focus on something, I have to make Facebook off limits.
7. Music can also distract me.  Just this morning, I had showered and gotten dressed.  I had the TV on CMT (yes, I love country music - don't judge).  It took me far too long to throw my hair in a ponytail and slap on some mascara because I kept stopping to watch videos when I heard a song I liked.  I do the same thing when I'm cooking.  I turn Pandora on my iPhone and, if I hear a song I like, I'll stop to sing along or read the lyrics.  
8. The phone can also be a distraction.  I'm not a big phone talker.  In fact, I don't call people as often as I should and actually avoid making phone calls sometimes.  However, I cannot control who calls my house.  A lot of times, it's a recording from the school or a telemarketer.  Still, I stop what I'm doing to answer it.  If it is a friend, I tend to lose all track of time.  Before I know it, we've been talking for an hour and I've gotten nothing else done!
9. I tend to be a very distractible housekeeper, too.  For example, if I'm cleaning the den and I find something that belongs in one of my girls' rooms, I take it to that room.  When I'm in their room, I find another mess that needs to be cleaned up.  In that mess I find something that goes in the kitchen, so I take it to the kitchen and find something else that needs to be cleaned.  So on and so on.  All the while, the original mess in the den has never been completely cleaned up.    Yes, messes are very distracting!  (Did that paragraph make anybody else think of "If you Give A Mouse A Cookie?")
10. Finally, I would have to sum up what distracts me by saying it is ALLTHEHTINGS!!!  Everything I have listed and more.  Motherhood is chock full of distractions!  Some are self-imposed (like blogging) and others are not (like the kids), but they all work together to make me a very distractible person.  On any given evening, you might find me cooking supper while listening to music.  Then, a child comes in needing help with homework, the phone rings, and the dog starts barking.  The phone call is my husband and, while I'm talking to him, I get an email that someone has left a new comment on my blog post.  Then, the oven timer goes off and one of the other kids comes in to ask when supper will be ready because she is apparently dying of starvation.  All of that occurs in a span of thirty seconds, maybe sixty.  Then, my head is spinning and I can't focus on anything because I am focusing on everything!  I am constantly pulled in many different directions and distracted by all the things and people around me.  Such is the life of a mom, right??!?

What are your biggest distractions??  Share in the comments or link up a post!!!

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Come link up again next Tuesday, January 28. 

 The topic will be "Things I Should Say More Often" based on this Kid President video!

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