I think we all suffer from shiny object syndrome in one way or another. You know the symptoms. We find something interesting and we get motivated to find out more. We go down the rabbit hole, investing a bunch of time, effort, maybe even money.
Until the next ‘shiny object’ catches our eyes.
At it’s heart, shiny object syndrome is a problem of distraction. So here’s three ways to prevent.
1. Manage your sources of distraction
Start by accessing how susceptible you are to distractions and their sources. If you find you are getting distracted by the radio or podcasts while you’re working, stop listening to it! This is a good habit and skill to develop your self awareness. Identify the best way for you to work without distractions and implement it. It will go a long way to prevent shiny objects from jumping in front of your face.
2. Slow it down
A good start to prevent shiny object syndrome is to sleep on it. When you get an idea or see something extremely tantalizing. Take the necessary notes so it doesn’t slip away, and then sleep on it. Literally, take a night of good rest before revisiting the idea. Any weak, in the moment distraction will immediately be wiped away over night, saving you a lot of potentially wasted time.
3. Work on your cost benefit analysis
Eventually, you’ll have an idea and after a good night’s rest, it still persists. Now you have to determine if it’s just a shiny object or a legitimate good opportunity. You need to get good at figuring out the difference by doing a cost benefit analysis. Only through an objective comparison of the opportunity costs and the potential benefits, will you be able to figure out if you should devote continued resources to this new idea.
You’ll make mistakes. But that’s okay, you’ll learn. The more analysis and trial and errors you do, the better you’ll be at stopping shiny objects from running you over.