Many individuals can relate to the constant temptation to be distracted, especially while at work. But when you work under tight deadlines, it can significantly decrease your productivity if you are allowing your phone, your coworkers, or other factors to distract you from the tasks at hand. If you want to work at defeating distraction in your job, you’ll want to consider implementing a few of the following strategies.
Set Micro-Deadlines
Even if a project isn’t due until the end of the day, or even if you don’t work within set time constraints, setting micro-deadlines for yourself will help you avoid possible distractions and stay on track with your work. It can be easy to push a task aside if it’s not due until later in the week, but if you make a conscious effort to complete bits of it each day, this can help you stay more focused. Set a goal and give yourself an hour to complete it. This will help you stay committed to that task within that hour because you know you need it done by then.
Avoid Online Distractions
It can be difficult to ward off distractions when you’re working on your laptop or phone. After all, most of the distractions we face are on those devices. When you work online, the internet is at your fingertips, and it can be difficult to avoid the desire to check social media, news sites, your email and more. The more intentional you are about putting these distractions aside, the easier it will be to avoid getting off course. If you work on your laptop or phone a lot, you might want to consider blocking certain notifications during work hours.
Organize Your Workspace
A scattered workspace might be an indicator that your brain is easily distracted during work. And the more items you have in your workspace means the more distractions that are readily available to you. And cleaning up this mess can turn into a distraction in and of itself. If you find that your workspace has been leading to a distracted mind, take a few minutes at the beginning of your day to straighten things up and declutter. This will help you stay on track with your work tasks throughout the day.
Set Boundaries With Coworkers
Although coworkers often are one of the main reasons that individuals enjoy their workplace, they can also be distracting at times. Whether you work in person or remotely, you have most likely been interrupted by coworkers from time to time, especially while working under a strict time constraint. Although it is good to want to be conversational, you also need to know how to set boundaries in order to stay on track for the day. This might look like putting your Skype on “Do Not Disturb” or keeping your office door closed with a note saying when you’ll next be available. It can be tempting to want to talk to your coworkers, but you’ll feel a lot less guilty about doing so once you’ve met your deadline.