Indistractable Book Club Discussion Guide

It’s time to bond with some friends while you discuss what you learned in Indistractable. These questions are designed to evoke a thorough and interesting discussion around the topics mentioned in the book. Invite a few friends to a casual conversation about productivity, habits, values, technology, and triggers, and allow a lively dialogue to unfold.

       1.    Throughout the book, Nir speaks about the importance of the three life domains: you, relationships, and work. Often, we unintentionally spend too much time in one area at the expense of others. Which life domain do you desire to improve the most, and why?

       2.    Indistractable is full of unconventional wisdom. Was there anything that changed your mind? What did you find most surprising?

       3.    Think about your most frequent distractions that prevent you from achieving traction. What are your three most common internal triggers? What about your three most common external triggers? Remember, internal triggers cue us from within, while external triggers are cues in our environment.

       4.    Fun and play can free us from discomfort by helping us reimagine a seemingly boring or repetitive task. Think about something you do in your day-to-day life or work day that isn’t particularly engaging. How can you reimagine the task (or add in a constraint) to make it more interesting?

       5.    Nir offers a polarizing view of to-do lists and says that they’re “seriously flawed.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

       6.    Creating a fun jar served Nir’s goal of becoming a more involved father to his young daughter. What are five to ten activities that would be a “must” in your fun jar?

       7.    Aligning your schedule with your values is essential to achieving traction. Dream up an ideal timeboxed day in your life. How would you spend your time? How would you “turn your values into time” for yourself, for your relationships, and for your work?

       8.    Values are not end goals; they are guidelines for our actions. What three to five values are most important to you?

       9.    Studies have shown that the modern workplace and particularly open office floor plans are a constant source of distraction. Do you agree or disagree?

       10.  Distraction is inevitable at work, even when you work from home. Everything from group chats, to email, to our phones can take us off course. How will you make uninterrupted work a priority in your daily grind?

       11.  We learned in the book that our identities are not fixed. Like habits, we can choose to change our identities and commit to a more positive self-image. What are a few habits you’ve longed to change, and how could you create a new identity to empower yourself to success?

       12.  Nir wrote, “Limitations give us structure, while nothingness torments us with the tyranny of choice.” Describe an instance where constraints could offer structure in a positive way.

       13.  Behavior change is hard and people will inevitably fail. It’s critical to know how to bounce back from failure. How have you bounced back from failure in the past?

       14.  The internet (including social media) can be a content vortex. What habits would you like to cultivate to improve your current relationship with content consumption online?

       15.  Nir shared an extensive list of some of his favorite hacks to combat online distraction (e.g., eliminating his Facebook news feed, using productivity apps like Forest). Share a hack that has helped you be more efficient and focused.

       16.  According to researchers, we need three psychological nutrients to flourish: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Which of these nutrients is most important to you and why? Which are you lacking?

       17.  Technological advances tend to create fear and panic (think self-driving cars, AI, virtual reality, even social media). Why do you think this is?

       18.  Tell the group about something you consistently fail to show up for (whether it’s skipping the gym or following through on other plans). What can you do differently to make sure you do as you say by following the four parts of the Indistractable Model?

       19.  According to a survey, a third of Americans would give up sex for a year vs. part with their phones for that long. Which option would you give up for a year and why?

       20.  What is your definition of living an indistractable life?