There are hundreds of distractions in any given workday. From a steady stream of emails, the endless ping of text messages or coworkers popping by for a quick question, it’s a wonder that anything gets accomplished.
Daily interruptions have become a way of life and it’s important to sharpen your focus. It’s easy to let your mind wander, especially when facing a challenging task. To help you stay productive, despite the whirlwind of activity going on around you, try these 8 tips to get– and stay– on track.
Clock It
A simple timer can be your best friend. The Pomodoro Technique is an extremely easy way to help you stay on task for short, intense periods of time. Start by setting a timer on your cell phone for 25 minutes. When that time is up, take a 5-minute break, during which you can check and respond to emails, get up and stretch or grab a cup of coffee. After every four 25-minute work sessions (“Pomodoros,” named after the tomato-shaped timer the creator of this technique used), take a longer break of 20-30 minutes. This works well on several levels. It’s not a huge investment of time, so it’s less daunting to begin. It can also be useful to measure how much time tasks take; that report you’re dreading may actually take less than an hour (or 2 Pomodoros!) when you focus intently on getting it done.
Just Begin
Sometimes starting is the biggest hurdle– be it the report, tackling your inbox, or whatever it is you have been putting off. Once you’ve pressed ‘start,’ you can start to immerse yourself in the task. But once you see you have made headway, it will be a motivator to take it to the end.
Silence Your Technology
Hearing a “ding” from your email inbox or seeing the preview box open up on your desktop when a new message comes in is almost guaranteed to throw you off course. Once your mind wanders, it takes time and energy to refocus. Close your email, web browser and silence your cell phone. The world will not stop if you do not read or answer immediately. Schedule specific times to check your messages.
Get Comfortable
It’s hard to concentrate when you are cold or sweaty. Make your workspace comfortable by keeping a sweater in your desk or bringing in a space heater or a fan. Make sure there’s ample lighting in your office, for both tasks and atmosphere. You spend a lot of time in your chair, so an investment in an ergonomically friendly seat might be beneficial.
Tidy Up
If your desk is covered in files, piles and outdated journals, take a few moments to put things away. Creating a clean workspace will help unclutter your mind. Think about how much time you waste looking for things under mountains of mess.
Use the Buddy System
Create accountability, such as deadlines, progress reports or project meetings; if you have promised to deliver something by a certain time to your boss or a client, it can help motivate you to stay on track. When you know someone is counting on you, you are more prone to deliver.
Promise Yourself a Reward
Get up from your desk at least once every hour to move, stretch and hydrate. Give yourself a break, whether it’s a 5-minute check-in on social media, scanning the headlines or chatting in the break room. You’ll be refreshed and recharged for the next round of action.
For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, you may enjoy How to Catapult Your Productivity to the Next Level. Read her posts on Inc., and HuffPost, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Diane’s latest book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life is available on Amazon.
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