Unless you use your computer for work, shut it down or set it to hibernate. Disable sound alerts for texts, emails and tweets to keep yourself from looking at your phone every time there’s activity. [2] X Research source If you have an especially hard time keeping yourself on task, put away potential distractions somewhere that it would be a hassle to get them back out.
Save the tunes for after you’ve finished a particular project, or for times when you’re performing light, mindless tasks.
Be careful of surroundings that can dull your focus in other ways. People tend to associate spaces with their common uses, so trying to work in a quiet bedroom may just make you sleepy.
Organizing your duties in their most efficient logical order can also keep you from having to interrupt your own work later on. Putting on a pair of headphones, even if they’re not playing anything, will make you appear busy and discourage people from trying to start casual conversations.
Many distractions simply have to be ignored. The brain is well-equipped to block out smaller, less intrusive distractions, but with a little practice you can learn to build up your focus and attention like a muscle. Most people lose so much time to extraneous activities because they fail to notice when they’re getting distracted, and only become aware of their mistake once the damage has been done. [6] X Research source
Procrastination is a childish mentality. It can cause you to avoid responsibility in favor of feeling good right now. Research has shown that people rarely meet with more success when they put things off until later as opposed to doing them right away.
It can help to remember that the best way to get everything done is to put all your effort toward one thing at a time. Start by seeing a specific task or project through to completion, then move onto another, then another, until you’ve met your goal for the day.
Even if you’re unable to literally leave the worst of your distractions behind, there are still things you can do to rid them from your mind. Leave your phone at home, turn off your wi-fi and close every tab you have open that isn’t helping you with your current task. An ideal working environment is one where there are as few distractions present as possible. This can mean persistent annoyances like cell phones, computers and social media, but it can also include anything that reminds you of what you’d rather be doing.
Develop a habit of working at the same time every day, and make yourself stick to it. If you keep odd or irregular hours, let others know when you’re working to keep from being bothered.
When you have a proposal to outline, meetings to schedule and emails to answer, it can be easy to start feeling overwhelmed. By completing the outline first, however, then using the rest of your day to get your schedule in order and follow up on correspondences, you can save yourself a lot of rush and stress.
Start with modest, specific daily minimums and build them up as you grow more confident. You’re much more likely to exceed your expectations if you resolve to spend ten minutes on the treadmill, rather than simply saying “I have to exercise today. ” With few exceptions, most goals will take time to accomplish. Break yourself of the habit of thinking you need to get everything done immediately or all at once. Plotting manageable short-term goals keeps you from biting off more than you can chew. [12] X Research source
Most people can only maintain their focus for about an hour at a time or less. It can be counterproductive to force yourself to keep working beyond this point, as it becomes more likely that you’ll start making mistakes or miss important information. Go for a quick walk or do some light stretching during your breaks to keep your blood flowing. This can help you stay mentally sharp and ready to jump back into things.
Turn off all electronic devices at least an hour before bed—these can keep you wired. [15] X Research source If you’re extremely busy, supplement the amount of sleep you get with short naps throughout the day.
