It is safe to say most of us are not superstar athletes, and do not have the laser-like focus to avoid all distraction at work.
Five guaranteed tips the average worker can use stay productive, by avoiding distraction at work.
Few of us are capable of the concentration skills to cut through the clutter of a busy day and stay on task. There always seems to be a distraction at work, preventing us from getting the job done.
Just like superstar athletes, to succeed in the workplace, we have to get focused. Productivity demands that we need to pay attention to what we are doing.
Distraction at work is a real productivity killer, but there are other work-related disruptions can also be blamed—things like poor management, lack of communication and too many meetings.
Five guaranteed tips to avoid distraction at work, and fail-safe ways to increase productivity:
Avoid distraction at work by ditching the mobile devices
The greatest distraction at work is a constant stream of texts, emails and phone calls. Instead of picking it up for every notification, turn it off and check it once an hour. This becomes especially pertinent when you have an urgent task or deadline to meet.
Create a budget, and stick to it
This doesn’t mean a budget for money (although that’s always a smart idea), but for the time. Carefully scheduling and prioritizing all the tasks, meetings and things you do in a typical day will keep you from leaving the office wondering where the time went.
Keep it shut—your door, that is
With “open office” plans all the rage in the corporate world, you are lucky if you still have a door. If you do, then keep it shut. Of course, if you do not have a door to close, post a sign reminding your co-workers that you mustn’t be disturbed.
Clean your desk
A cluttered desk is a double-edged sword; it is seen as a valuable asset in many careers. Some experts see it as a sign of a creative mind. However, it can end up being a real distraction. If you can’t entirely rid yourself of the clutter, then the next best thing is to prioritize—a type of “triage” for your desktop. Put the most urgent priority in one section (most likely next to the phone), items with lower importance in another, and so on. Try to keep it to three or four piles at a max.
Take care of things, and then move on
When the heat is on at work, we tend to put off things until later. For example, if we get an email that is crucial, we often glance at it in a rush, and then put it to the side. Our intention is to address it later. This means we are taking care of the same amount of work two (or three) times.
This is a waste of time. Read it and respond promptly, getting it out of the way. You will find less interference or interruptions by just taking care of them when they occur, rather than putting them off for another time.
What are your top tips for avoiding distractions at work? We want to hear them! Let us know by joining the discussion below!