Is a minute really only 60 seconds?  The scientific answer is yes. However, the real answer is: ‘it depends.’ A minute on the treadmill is longer than a minute watching an action movie. A minute of in the dentist’s chair with a drill is longer than a minute eating ice cream.

I know what you’re thinking, “it isn’t really longer, it just seems longer,” and you’re right. I remember a cartoon that said, “How long a minute is depends on which side of the bathroom door you’re on.” When we are doing something we like, time seems to fly by. When we are faced with doing something we dislike, then a minute seems to drag on and on and on.

Let’s use this to our advantage and unlock the secret of making time move faster when we don’t like what we are doing. Wouldn’t that make life so much easier? I think it would. I call this the Law of Distraction – when you allow yourself to be distracted so that the unpleasant things you have to do don’t seem so distasteful. Next time you are at the gym notice how many people are wearing headphones and listing to music. They are trying to distract themselves from the monotonous chore of exercising. The Law of Distraction works wonders and takes just a little practice. When I was in law school I would open a bag of M&M’s and treat myself to one piece of candy after every chapter. It was just a small incentive but enough to motivate me and distract me from how much homework I had to do. You have many opportunities to incent yourself or distract yourself with positive things to take your mind off of something unpleasant. The trick is to not just be distracted but to purposefully distract yourself with something positive. It may take some planning on your part but it will pay off in big dividends. You will have with more energy, a better disposition, and you will be more productive and more creative.

Whenever you are faced with something you don’t want to do or something you have to do though you dislike it – distract yourself with positive thinking. Listen to a favorite song, treat yourself to an ice cream upon completion o f the task, or simply pick a reason to do the task that is meaningful and significant to you. You can distract yourself with positive thinking as much as you can be distracted by other things.

The Law of Distraction will help you enjoy things that you typically dislike. It will help you be happier. How long is a minute? Well, it’s up to you!

Kirk