Sitting behind your computer doesn't always equate to a productive environment - in fact, it can be quite the opposite. Emails, social media, browsing the web, and even phone calls make it easy to lose focus and see time slip away. Most of the time, we don't even realise how many distractions grab us, nor do we notice how much better we could be at completing our work and maintaining a constant productivity.
What Does Your Workday Look Like?
After finishing a morning routine and settling in for work (preferably with a cup of coffee and a comfortable desk), you check your emails to see what needs to be done. Your mind may wander as you think of this, reminding you of gifts to buy, appointments to book, and orders to make online.
So, you begin to browse online and focus on finishing the tasks before settling into work. Then a business partner may stop by to ask about a marketing campaign and stay to chat afterwards, leaving just in time for your phone to ring. You're reminded to check your messages and, wouldn't you know it, you've missed quite a few and need to respond.
By that time, it's already lunch and you're wondering where your morning went.
Reasons for Distractions
There are a multitude of reasons for why people get distracted or interrupted while trying to go about their daily tasks. For example:
- The age of technology has given us near-infinite knowledge at our fingertips, allowing us to answer thoughts with an immediate answer even if it takes us into a new tab or page.
- Without focus from others in the workplace, it's easy to get interrupted by their tangents and thoughts. They aren't focused on their work and may distract you accidentally or purposefully.
- Meetings and schedules are constantly changing and need to be checked on, forming a constant interruption to the thought process.
- Without experience structuring or planning your day, it becomes easy to fall into a trap of distractions when not intending to.
Types of Distractions
Commonly, distractions are only thought about with regards to things like social media or browsing. These are clear and obvious interruptions - unmistakable for what they are. But then there's the stream of emails, phone calls, and conversations from clients and co-workers alike, even the boss who walks into your office to chat for a minute and remains for the next hour. All of this adds up over time, breaking your productivity stream and creating a constant, distracting buzz.
Some Facts to Consider A survey conducted by Screen Education found workers spending two hours per day on average, handling distractions such as their phones in the year 2020. Though the survey was conducted in the United States, it's not difficult to see similar problems occurring in countries around the world. Two hours adds up quickly and, over the course of a month, can become equal to around nine full days or fourteen eight-hour days. Those wasted minutes add up quickly and are severely damaging to productivity. Estimates vary but a research study at the University of California suggested the average time to focus again after a distraction to be around twenty-three minutes which can add even more wasted time and minutes.
How to Reduce These Distractions?
- A timer is a great way to ensure you stay focused for a set amount of time, making sure you reach your goal of productivity without wasting time. You can also keep a log of your most common interruptions so you're more aware of it for the future.
- Establishing a set of guidelines for everybody around you to follow will allow for a strong productivity for a set time and still allow for opportunities to deal with business-related distractions like emails and phone calls without it interrupting the flow of work.
- The Pomodoro Technique is a powerful time management method where you separate a workday into twenty-five minutes of strong focus with a five-minute break thereafter. Try it out and see if it works for you or try another method, there are many available online.
While At the Workplace:
- Having set times of day when you check your email is an amazing way to minimise unneeded time wasting when you click on it just for the sake of doing so.
- Installing an application to block social media sites for a set period will help remove the temptation of these.
- While still being polite, give your colleagues set times when you are busy or informing them of such. Otherwise, you can place a 'do not disturb' sign on your desk when you're currently working on something important.
- Some jobs also offer silent rooms where you can book time.
- Turning off notifications or setting your phone on do not disturb is also a good method of avoiding distractions or even simply placing it out of reach.
- Minimising multitasking is a good way to focus your brain on completing tasks while keeping one train of thought. Though some are talented at multitasking, it can still form a major distraction.
- Plan your day in advance with a set selection of actions and times wherein you will dedicate your focus entirely to these. You'll find it easier to handle larger tasks like this as well without growing distracted. Make sure to include some time for no interruptions at all.
While in a Home Office:
- It's often difficult to focus when working from home so having a dedicated 'work' space where your brain understands it's on the job is important.
- Remove distractions from your desk and place them far enough out of reach that they're not easy to grab. If you need to focus, you can make use of tools like fidgets to do something menial and non-intrusive with your hands.
- Get dressed for work rather than remaining in comfortable clothing if you find it hard to get into the right space.
- Inform colleagues and others around the home when you are focusing and ask them not to interrupt you unless vitally needed.
- If you need, leave a voicemail message on your phone informing callers of why you're busy and giving them a rouge estimate of when you'll be available for calls beyond this.
Overall, managing descriptions isn't simply micromanagement, the blocking of websites, or the limiting of social time. It's about focusing on singular tasks and allocating them the time and attention they deserve. Be productive however suits you. Group similar tasks together, use lists or calendars to plan your day, delegate where possible, start with the most difficult task. Whatever you do, just make sure you finish it before you get distracted. So, set your clock for twenty-five minutes and let's go.
Want to know more? Contact our learning and development experts at enquiries@fcrmc.co.za.