5 Productivity Tips for Fighting Off Distractions
I write this on the day the round of 64 begins for the NCAA basketball tournament. I am wondering how I will stay focused when all of these exciting basketball games are going on. Not all of my readers are college basketball fans, but all of us are fans of something. It can be a challenge to stay focused and productive when there is something exciting happening in the world. Heck, it is hard to stay focused when there is something terrible going on. You may be distracted by the NCAA tournament, or you may be distracted by the war in Ukraine. Whatever is going on, society, school, your employer, etc. expects you to stay productive. So, what can be done when other things are vying for our attention?
1.) Check-in Timers
When you are working, set a timer for a certain amount of time, and when the timer goes off, check to see if you are still on task. If not, the timer will remind you to get back on task. If you are on task, you will be pleased with yourself and get a little dopamine hit.
2.) The Pomodoro Technique
One popular productivity hack is the pomodoro technique. To summarize, you work for 25 minutes and then take a break for five minutes. You repeat this as many times as you need to until the job is done. This keeps you on task and also gives you a break in there, preventing you from getting too tired.
3.) Control Your Environment
When something distracting is going on, keep it away from you. For example, if I don’t turn on the NCAA tournament today, I won’t be distracted by it. I will keep the TV off while I work today. It will take some self-discipline, but I can do it.
There are other things you can do to control your environment. One popular thing to keep distractions at bay is noise-canceling headphones. These will block any noise that might draw your attention away from what you are working on. What else can you think of that will help keep your focus on what is important?
4.) Have a Reminder of What Is Important
When I am sitting at my desk, I can look up and see a sign with Reset ADHD’s logo on it. This reminds me that I am to stay focused on what will help my business. This reminder helps me, but what reminder will help you? Are you motivated to put food on the table for your family? Place a picture of your family on your desk where you can easily see it. What can help you stay focused and connected to your motivation? Have that reminder visible to you, so you do not forget why you are doing what you are doing.
5.) Throw Your Phone Across the Room
Ever feel like you cannot be bothered to get up and do something? Hack that feeling! Your phone is a huge distraction. You can access anything with it. Get it away from you. Throw it across the room. You will not want to get up and go get it. You will be left with no other choice but to continue working on whatever you are doing.
Bonus.) Get Creative
Do not feel like the five suggestions above are the only ways to stay focused. If your creative brain can come up with something else to keep you from getting distracted, go with that. You are the expert on your brain. Listen to your intuition.