Growth Insider

Who Me …. Distracted?

awareness

According to the dictionary, a “distraction” is anything that divides your attention or prevents you from concentrating.

When is the last time you were unable to concentrate on what was happening at work or at home?

Our lives are filled with things competing for our attention. The phone rings. New messages appear in your email. You go to the internet for a specific piece of information and end up reading something completely different.

A co-worker walks into your office for a quick chat. A friend invites you to go for coffee.

We all deal with dozens of distractions every day of our lives. Some of them are welcome, like having lunch with a friend. But if we allow ourselves to give way to every distraction that crosses our path, we lose focus on our goals. Interruptions take us away from important priorities and hamper our productivity.

Learning how to minimize the distractions in your life can dramatically increase your productivity and effectiveness. It starts with becoming more aware of the things that distract you.

Once you are aware of the possible distractions, you can think in advance about strategies to deal with them.

Here are a few of the most common distractions, and how you can minimize or eliminate them:

Manage your time: Before you start the day, list the key tasks you need to accomplish. Prioritize the tasks and do the most important one first. This strategy has worked for many successful people.
Know when to say no: Value yourself and respect your priorities. If you like to make other people happy, you may find it hard to say no. We all like to be helpful, but there are times when you have to say no. Although this may feel uncomfortable at first and may even upset those who are asking for your time, this is the only way that you can move towards completing your goals.
Limit your phone calls: You can reduce the time spent on phone calls by only answering your phone during specific times of the day. If there is a time of day that is more productive for you, you may want to avoid making phone calls during that time.
Schedule emails: Try checking your emails and responding twice a day. For example, you may want to do it first thing in the morning and right after lunch. As Brendon Burchard says, “Your email inbox is simply a convenient filing system for other people's agendas.”
Control your internet browsing: We've all gone to the internet to research a specific topic only to be reading something unrelated 25 minutes later. The Mind Tools website lists several software applications, such as Freedom and Anti-Social, that can help you eliminate online distractions.
Aim for simplicity: Your work environment may present distractions caused by other people and activities. For example, you may be trying to work in a construction zone, around loud co-workers, next to a busy highway, or at a disorganized desk. Remove as many of these distractions as you can. If you can't remove the distraction, try to minimize it.
Avoid fatigue: Another reason for loosing focus is fatigue. Effective managers maintain a healthy work/life balance. They take time to restore themselves and they avoid overloading. Learn to delegate responsibility and share the load. If you don’t have time for balance in your life, you’re doing more work than you should.
Manage your time: Before you start the day, list the key tasks you need to accomplish. Prioritize the tasks and do the most important one first. This strategy has worked for many successful people. Click on Daily Planning Worksheet for a tool that can help you set priorities.
Know when to say no: Value yourself and respect your priorities. If you like to make other people happy, you may find it hard to say no. We all like to be helpful, but there are times when you have to say no. Although this may feel uncomfortable at first and may even upset those who are asking for your time, this is the only way that you can move towards completing your goals.
Limit your phone calls: You can reduce the time spent on phone calls by only answering your phone during specific times of the day. If there is a time of day that is more productive for you, you may want to avoid making phone calls during that time.
Schedule emails: Try checking your emails and responding twice a day. For example, you may want to do it first thing in the morning and right after lunch. As Brendon Burchard says, “Your email inbox is simply a convenient filing system for other people's agendas.”
Control your internet browsing: We've all gone to the internet to research a specific topic only to be reading something unrelated 25 minutes later. The Mind Tools website lists several software applications, such as Freedom and Anti-Social, that can help you eliminate online distractions.
Aim for simplicity: Your work environment may present distractions caused by other people and activities. For example, you may be trying to work in a construction zone, around loud co-workers, next to a busy highway, or at a disorganized desk. Remove as many of these distractions as you can. If you can't remove the distraction, try to minimize it.
Avoid fatigue: Another reason for loosing focus is fatigue. Effective managers maintain a healthy work/life balance. They take time to restore themselves and they avoid overloading. Learn to delegate responsibility and share the load. If you don’t have time for balance in your life, you’re doing more work than you should.