It sometimes seems impossible to avoid distractions. Statistics demonstrate that distractions significantly reduce productivity. Employees often spend 28% of their time dealing with unneeded interruptions and attempting to get back on track, and the average boss is interrupted every eight minutes.
Distractions are all but inevitable, whether they come from contemporary technology or encounters with our friends, family, and coworkers. This makes it extremely difficult to concentrate, especially for an extended period of time on one particular subject. Therefore, if we want to be truly productive, we need to learn how to overcome distractions. With the development of technology, distractions are not likely to disappear any time soon. Therefore, there is no better moment than the present to discover the most effective techniques for overcoming distractions head-on. It’s important to keep in mind that while some distractions may be beyond your control, you can learn to take control of whether or not they control you.
Ok, in this article, I’ll be guiding you through the ways in which you can overcome distractions.
Contents
How To Overcome Distractions At Work
The following are ways you can overcome distractions:
- Set your priorities straight.
Set time limits on your goals.
Put yourself in distraction-free mode.
Limit your correspondence time.
Take on more challenging work.
Take breaks.
Get comfortable.
Control your smartphone.
Sleep.
Practice meditation.
Use visual reminders. - Let’s dive in!
Set your priorities straight
- Set key jobs in order of importance, then pick one or two to finish. Even if you didn’t do the little things on your list, you can sleep better knowing the urgent work is finished.
Set time limits on your goals
- Following the creation of a list of objectives you want to accomplish by the end of the day, you can allot a particular amount of time for each item on the list based on how long you anticipate it will take you to finish each work. While some tasks, like responding to emails relating to your job, can be completed quickly, others will take far more of your time and effort. The degree of difficulty of each assignment may be directly related to the length of time you give yourself to do it.
Put yourself in distraction-free mode
- Start forming routines that will enable you to block out distractions and maintain your attention. Start by setting up a setting that makes it harder for you to become distracted from what you’re working on. It’s not always simple to achieve this. One reason is that many of us rely on computers to complete our tasks, but we also use them to access the internet, which provides us with our biggest sources of distraction. Try utilizing a website blocker app if you frequently find yourself straying over to video or retail websites.
Limit your correspondence time
- If you let it, checking Slack and your emails can take up the majority of your day. Consider disabling your push alerts and only checking your messages during specific times of the day. If it really is urgent, they’ll find another way to get in touch with you.
Take on more challenging work
- If you frequently become sidetracked and have difficulties focusing, it’s possible that your job isn’t entirely engrossing you. Even if you may feel as though you have been working hard all day, it’s possible that your mind is just trying to pass the time by thinking of something more intriguing to accomplish. Complex tasks need more working memory and concentration, which leaves us with less mental ability to wander to the closest engaging diversion. When our abilities are pushed, we are most likely to attain a state of total job immersion. When our abilities significantly surpass the requirements of our jobs, such as when we spend hours mindlessly entering data, we become bored.
Take breaks
- Working a lot of hours might be exhausting. Your body will take a break if you don’t schedule one for yourself. During lulls, wander about, stretch, chat with people, or sip tea. Making time for rest will enable you to unwind at your own pace and maintain attention when it’s needed.
Get comfortable
- Distractions may be less frequent when you are relaxed and comfortable while working. The degree of comfort you can get may vary depending on where you work. If you work from home, you can adjust the temperature to your liking and put on clothes that will make you feel at ease all day. You can bring in objects that make you feel at ease if you work in an office setting, like an oil diffuser or a lamp with adequate lighting.
Control your smartphone
- Americans consume stuff unrelated to their jobs for about 2.5 hours per day on their mobile devices. And in some ways, it was planned that way. Since your LinkedIn newsfeed allows for limitless scrolling, your material never truly “ends.” Your brain lacks cues to quit reading because there aren’t any apparent ends.
Sleep
- In order to function well during the day, it is imperative to get enough sleep. Your brain will perform at its peak in the morning if you give it enough time to rest and recharge at night. You will be able to focus on your task more if you do this.
Practice meditation
- So that you can concentrate on one subject at a time, meditation helps the mind let go of distracting thoughts. Consider taking a brief break from your task to pay attention to your breathing. Sit quietly and calmly, even breathing in and out, counting to a number of your choice. Try to ignore any thoughts that arise while you are counting.
Use visual reminders
- Sometimes all you need to get your mind back on task is a visual reminder. Simply placing a sticky note with the word “focus” somewhere in your workspace can help with this. Whatever image you decide on, make sure it’s prominently displayed so you can refer to it frequently as a prompt to keep on target while you’re working.Easy-to-use tools that help you stay focused
If you want to become more focused and reduce distractions, technology doesn’t have to be your adversary. By obstructing potential distraction sources, some anti-distraction gadgets and apps keep you from getting distracted. There is always hope, even if you are the type of person who is easily distracted at work or simply can’t bring yourself to sit down at your desk and start working. Here are some of the top tools for eliminating obstacles and maximizing your abilities.
Dewo
This tool automatically bans all annoying social media apps, preventing you from receiving notifications and having your screen light up all the time. Dewo’s ability to become acclimated to your focus patterns and even switch to “automatic” mode for you is its strongest feature. The software chooses the time that is most convenient for you and won’t conflict with your focus schedule when you ask it to book meetings and appointments for others in your contacts.
Freedom
Contrary to its name, the Freedom app blocks websites and shuts down the internet while you’re trying to concentrate. Regardless of how you feel later, once you’ve decided to lock up apps, you won’t be able to access them. This program can also be used on a computer for individuals who get sidetracked while using a laptop. The majority of people would view these strategies as brutal, but they work exceptionally well.
FocusMe
FocusMe is the ideal tool for readers who want to establish productive work habits, reduce distractions, block alluring websites, and do a lot more. This program assists in blocking particular websites and apps for predetermined times. Additionally, it adapts to the owner’s work style and offers advice on what apps to block and when to take breaks. This boosts output and lowers the likelihood of boredom and dissatisfaction.
