7 Ways to Stay Focused at Work
In a world filled with instant access to information, coworkers and
friends, finishing a solid eight hours of work seems nearly impossible.
Avoiding distractions, however, is not a Herculean task. Just like
getting to the gym each day, staying focused while at work is a matter
of building good habits.
1. Set clear goals
Instead of saying, “I’m going to work a solid eight hours
every day,” make a list of your top priorities for the week. This helps
you avoid reacting to every distraction that comes up. Review your list
each morning and decide—realistically—what tasks you can accomplish that
day. Be concrete: “I’m going to finish steps 1-3 of the project by
noon.”
2. Work in 60-90-minute blocks
As we work, our alertness drops off, increasing the lure of
distractions. Set a timer and take a break at the end of each cycle. Reset your focus by listening to music for a few minutes, taking a short walk, or going for lunch.
3. Turn off the world
Let’s face it, the world is a distracting place. Avoid temptation by
severing all ties. This includes email, office phones, cell phones and
your coworkers. This might require finding a quiet place away from your
office to work—such as booking a conference room or hiding out in your
office. If you need to, set up a system for urgent messages to reach
you. This doesn’t include where to go for happy hour.
4. Schedule distractions
Distractions are not all bad, but you need to make them work for you.
Use them as reward for a solid chunk of work. Start out with
distractions that are good for you, such as working out or calling your
friends. If Facebook and Twitter are your thing, block off time in your
schedule to post or browse other people’s updates, but stick to your
schedule. Remember, you control the distractions.
5. Practice not being distracted
Meditation is a great way to do this because it’s just you and your
thoughts. If that’s not your thing, practice single-tasking throughout
your day. At lunch, just eat. Don’t read the newspaper or check your
email at the same time. In meetings, don’t doodle in your notebook or
play with your phone.
6. Pay attention to yourself
Start to notice when and how you get distracted. What thoughts happen
just before that? Are you tired, hungry, or bored? As you learn what
triggers your distractions, you can head them off before you slip into
an hour-long IM chat.
7. Use technology to your advantage
From blocking out distracting websites to tracking how much time you spend surfing the web, many apps
can actually help you stay focused. Once you identify what your habits
are, pick one that will help you meet your goals, but don’t let these
become distractions in themselves.
source: www.mensjournal.com
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