Imagine this: You start your day revitalized, enthused, and keen to take new things on.
But soon after you sit down in front of your computer, you realize that somehow the time just slipped away and you didn’t really accomplish anything meaningful.
How does that feel? Pretty devastating, right?
In this article, I’ve listed 5 potent ways you can keep distractions at bay while working –be it in the office or at home.
Tips To Keep Distractions At Bay
The everyday distractions of life can be very harmful to your business.
If you find that you’re disappointed with your productivity at the end of the day, week or the month, it can have a huge influence on your future enthusiasm, self-confidence, and efficiency.
Here are 5 of the main distractions that life tosses at you and how you can manage to have a more satisfying working experience.
1. People
Be it your friends, family or even colleagues, all of these individuals can easily sidetrack you from your everyday chores.
And if you’re a parent and work from home, add in the distractions caused by your little kids.
So, should you shut your doors on the world? Not really!
Just ask them for an uninterrupted chunk of time each day or in a week.
With younger kids try to work around their daily naps, before they wake up or after they are asleep.
2. Phones and other gadgets
We all know what a distraction our phones can be.
To boost productivity, the first thing you should do is to turn off all your phone and all other gadgets.
Just enter into the ‘No Calling, No Texting, No Social Media’ zone.
And, you’ll be astonished to see how much more you can accomplish in your ‘phone-free’ interval.
3. Computer applications
While working on your computer, you’re often urged to check your social network, respond to a few emails or have a look at the e-paper.
But, surprise surprise!
All this eats up most of your time and before you know your entire day is gone.
So if you’re working on a computer and your work can be done while offline, just disconnect from the internet.
Set a particular time to check your emails and close any unnecessary browser windows.
4. Surroundings
The environment you work in has a huge impact on your overall productivity.
So, make sure that your surroundings are free from major disruptions.
Feeling too hot or too cold? Is the TV/radio on? Are there other off-putting noises? Is the light too bright or too dim?
Take measures to overcome any of these interruptions before you start working.
5. Personal Interruptions
Sometimes your mind is filled with a gazillion other things.
The dog needs to be taken out for a walk, the food needs to be cooked, the fashion jacket you spilled coffee on needs to be cleaned, the kids have to be picked from school, and so on.
All these interruptions disturb the way you function. So, plan your time accordingly.
Ensure that you deal with your personal needs before commencing work.
Avoid excessive eating before you sit for work as it can leave you sluggish and affect your ability to concentrate.
Likewise, excessive drinking will result in frequent restroom breaks.
Key Takeaway
Proper planning is essential when it comes to dodging distractions and increasing your productivity while working.
By considering these 5 points in your planning, you can see a huge improvement in your productivity levels.