Distractions abound in our hyper-connected world with smart phones, email, the internet, social networks, and even the occasional live person demanding our immediate attention. It’s a wonder any work gets accomplished in an average workday.
Whether your distraction is caused by a tedious task or dull project, a habit of visiting time-wasting websites or constant checking of email, there’s no doubt they’re costly to your efficiency. Marsha Egan, an e-mail productivity authority and author of Inbox Detox and the Habit of E-Mail Excellence, shared this in a recent article: “It takes the average person an average of four minutes to recover from any interruption.” Four minutes may not seem like much time, but it adds up quickly when you count how many times a day you’re checking email or “taking a break” to visit a social network site.
So how do you focus on the task at hand and minimize distractions? Try a few of these simple tips to get started.
Turn off the email notification alerts on your computer AND your smart phone. When I have a project I truly need to focus on, I don’t even open Outlook until the project is complete and my phone gets turned off and tucked away where I can’t see it.
Use voicemail as your gatekeeper. Believe it or not, you don’t have to answer the phone every time it rings! If you don’t have an assistant (virtual or otherwise) to help manage your calls, let voicemail be your gatekeeper when you’re working on a project and don’t want to be interrupted. If you’re afraid of alienating callers, update your outgoing message to let them know you’ll be checking messages and returning calls after a certain time.
Stop multi-tasking! Countless studies have shown multi-tasking increases the amount of time it takes to complete projects as well as increases error rates (for an interesting read on multi-tasking, check out this 2009 study from Stanford University). Instead of multi-tasking, prioritize your tasks and focus on only one to make the most of your time (and to minimize error rates).
Reward yourself. If the reason you’re getting easily distracted is because the task or project you’re working on seems tedious, set a time limit for getting the work completed (or maybe a certain phase of it if it’s really big) and reward yourself once it’s done. It doesn’t have to be an extravagant or expensive reward, something as simple as a latte, an iTunes download, or visit with a friend (online or in person) can sometimes be the incentive that gets you focused and successfully through to the end.
Use technology to control web usage. If the cause of your distractions is the multitude of time-sucking websites out there, try controlling your surf time with a free online application such as MinutesPlease or StayFocused (a Google chrome extension). Either application allows you to set the amount of time you spend on certain sites (that you list) and even blocks you from returning for the rest of the day.
We'll never be able to completely eliminate distractions in our workday but we can take control of them by implementing some simple steps. Make it a goal this month to try one or two of the tips mentioned above and watch your time return.
Whether your distraction is caused by a tedious task or dull project, a habit of visiting time-wasting websites or constant checking of email, there’s no doubt they’re costly to your efficiency. Marsha Egan, an e-mail productivity authority and author of Inbox Detox and the Habit of E-Mail Excellence, shared this in a recent article: “It takes the average person an average of four minutes to recover from any interruption.” Four minutes may not seem like much time, but it adds up quickly when you count how many times a day you’re checking email or “taking a break” to visit a social network site.
So how do you focus on the task at hand and minimize distractions? Try a few of these simple tips to get started.
Turn off the email notification alerts on your computer AND your smart phone. When I have a project I truly need to focus on, I don’t even open Outlook until the project is complete and my phone gets turned off and tucked away where I can’t see it.
Use voicemail as your gatekeeper. Believe it or not, you don’t have to answer the phone every time it rings! If you don’t have an assistant (virtual or otherwise) to help manage your calls, let voicemail be your gatekeeper when you’re working on a project and don’t want to be interrupted. If you’re afraid of alienating callers, update your outgoing message to let them know you’ll be checking messages and returning calls after a certain time.
Stop multi-tasking! Countless studies have shown multi-tasking increases the amount of time it takes to complete projects as well as increases error rates (for an interesting read on multi-tasking, check out this 2009 study from Stanford University). Instead of multi-tasking, prioritize your tasks and focus on only one to make the most of your time (and to minimize error rates).
Reward yourself. If the reason you’re getting easily distracted is because the task or project you’re working on seems tedious, set a time limit for getting the work completed (or maybe a certain phase of it if it’s really big) and reward yourself once it’s done. It doesn’t have to be an extravagant or expensive reward, something as simple as a latte, an iTunes download, or visit with a friend (online or in person) can sometimes be the incentive that gets you focused and successfully through to the end.
Use technology to control web usage. If the cause of your distractions is the multitude of time-sucking websites out there, try controlling your surf time with a free online application such as MinutesPlease or StayFocused (a Google chrome extension). Either application allows you to set the amount of time you spend on certain sites (that you list) and even blocks you from returning for the rest of the day.
We'll never be able to completely eliminate distractions in our workday but we can take control of them by implementing some simple steps. Make it a goal this month to try one or two of the tips mentioned above and watch your time return.
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