Eliminate distractions to achieve productivity

Here are some ways to overcome distractions:

1.     Identify and eliminate your distractors

If you know what distracts you, you’re better able to overcome distraction and focus on important tasks for a productive day. To break your “distraction habit”, build new healthier habits – like starting work earlier or taking breaks to meditate or exercise in the day – to help you remain focused and productive.

2.     Declutter for a distraction-free workspace

The Journal of Neuroscience suggests that clutter can “increase stress levels” and make it difficult to focus, while Verywell Mind adds that clutter “can make it harder for one to think clearly”. To create a “distraction-free” work environment, remove obvious distractions – like clearing a disorganised workspace or silencing notifications that pop up during focus mode – and declutter your digital workspace, i.e., unsubscribe from redundant email lists and delete or organise your files into folders to help make your digital space easier to navigate.

3.     Plan your day

Thrive Global says “It’s easy to get distracted if you don’t have a clear plan for your day”. For better productivity, plan your week in advance to ensure your workweek starts with set goals and tasks to focus on. 

4.     Take regular breaks

Forbes suggests taking regular breaks boosts concentration and mood. Take five-minute walks around the office or mid-afternoon coffee walks and set small goals for the day by breaking big tasks into smaller chunks, to help make large projects seem “less daunting.” It also helps to focus on bigger tasks during your most alert times of the day.

 

References

• 7 Simple Tips to Remove Distractions at Work, Thrive, (2022)
• Interactions of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mechanisms in Human Visual Cortex, The Journal of Neuroscience, (2011)
• The Negative Impact of Clutter on Mental Health, Verywell Mind, (2022)
• 5 Ways To Increase Your Productivity At Work, Forbes, (2018)