Did you know it usually takes 4-5 minutes to refocus after each disruption? Furthermore, the average person working in an office is distracted every 8 minutes. Distractions can range from constant noise to micromanaging supervisors, and can bear consequences like forgetfulness, inattentiveness and compromised effectiveness. In the spirit of business continuity, let’s take a look at how to zero in on one task and maintain concentration to the best of your ability.
- Work on smaller tasks. Rather than overwhelm yourself, make your projects seem easier to accomplish by dividing them into smaller tasks.
- Plan your day. Having goals is an important part of maintaining concentration. Determine ahead of time what you need to finish and want to accomplish that day.
- Reward yourself. A little incentive can go a long way in wiping out your to-do list.
- Clear your workspace. The goal is to minimize visual distraction. Designate a place for work you have yet to complete and keep only the task you’re working on in front of you.
- Wear headphones. Quiet music can help keep other distracting sounds at bay. In addition, wearing headphones is a great way to let others know you’re working on something.
- Take care of your health. Get enough sleep, exercising, eating a good breakfast and drinking plenty of water can transform your productivity level.
- Respond right away. Rather than set messages aside for later, make a point to reply right away. This will prevent it from distracting you again later and save time, not having to pick up the same piece of work twice.
- Identify what is distracting you. If you can recognize your distraction, you can work toward resolving it.
- Take short breaks. A short walk and a few slow, deep breaths can relieve tension and clutter in your mind, thereby restoring focus.
- Close the door. An open door invites visitors which, unfortunately, implies distraction. Keep the door closed when working on particularly important tasks.
- Resist checking Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. Or, if it works better for you, check social sites as a reward for accomplishing a certain task.
It’s important to find the right concentration techniques for you and know your own priorities. Fortunately, Sendio has wiped out one of the most common distractions: your overflowing inbox. Try a free trial of our solution (no risk, no obligation and no credit card required).
