How to reduce time thieves: distractions

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Day to day we are exposed to many potential distractions. Do you get distracted easily from what you are doing? Have you ever asked yourself how much time you waste in distractions?

Maybe you get distracted when working. Perhaps you distract yourself when talking to other people. If we want to reduce the distractions, we need to ask ourselves which they are and why they distract us. That way we may remedy it.

Which are the main distractions

Let us see which things distract us most and why.

The smartphone

Nowadays, the smartphone is the distraction number one. However, incoming calls are the least of it.

We receive all kinds of notifications from the applications installed. WhatsApp and email message notifications demand our attention. News alerts from social media like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and others urge us to have look at them. Maybe you have games installed which are based on rewards and notify you to tempt you to play. Also, there are many other applications which notify us with news and offers.

Applications and their notifications are made to demand our attention by appealing to our sense of urgency. Our brain is programmed to pay attention to what comes up. Our survival instinct makes us give importance to what seems urgent. That is why phone notifications works so well distracting us.

Worries

It is hard to concentrate when you have worries and things to do on your mind. Perhaps you have a hard time concentrating on work. Maybe you get distracted whilst talking to somebody and realise that you have not heard half of what they have told you.

If we carry our tasks and worries in our head and do not write them down, it is easy to get distracted.

Disorder

Disorder can be another important distraction. On one hand, there is mental disorder, i.e. tasks to do and worries on our mind as I have mentioned in the previous paragraph. On the other hand, there is physical clutter. Untidy home, office or desk are visual distractions that can hinder our focus on work or studies.

Interruptions

Then there are interruptions by other people. You try to concentrate on a task and someone shows up or calls to tell you something. If we live or work with other people we cannot avoid interruptions completely. However, we can limit them as I tell you in another post dedicated specifically to interruptions.

#Distractions are important #timethieves. Find out which are the main distractions and how to avoid them. Click To Tweet

When we tend to get distracted

There are several reasons why we get distracted. Starting with distraction number one, the smartphone, we might be a bit hooked. A notification comes in and we get nervous if we do not check right away what it is. This is the so-called FOMO syndrome, i.e. the fear of missing out on something.

Distractions can also be welcome when we are bored or at least not very thrilled with what we are doing. Perhaps the task is difficult and you do not know where to start or how to continue. Maybe you are not very clear about your objectives or the next steps to make progress on goals or projects. Possibly you feel lack of inspiration and motivation. Be it as it may, any small distraction can tempt you.

On the other hand, it can also be that you have not learned to concentrate in noisy environments. In that case any close conversation, unpleasant noise or whatever can distract you from what you are trying to do.

Though I mentioned in the section on distractions, if we feel nervous or worried about something we can lose focus easily. Until we solve our worries, it will be difficult for our mind not to wander.

Do you get easily distracted from work or during conversations? Which are the possible reasons. #distractions #timethieves Click To Tweet

How to avoid distractions

We have seen the most common distractions as well as the reasons for getting distracted. So how can we avoid or at least reduce distractions?

Become aware

The first step to any improvement is becoming aware. If you think you get distracted easily or that you waste valuable time with distractions, congratulations for realising. Now observe what distracts you most in order to remedy it. Which are your main distractions? When and why do you more often get distracted?

It can be a good idea to make a list of most common distractions. Then consider in which situations you resort to them or let yourself be tempted by them.

If it is out of boredom, lack of inspiration or motivation, why do you feel that way and what can you do about it? If you are not clear about the next steps, then review the project and what you need to progress. In case of not being clear about the goal of a task, take time to clarify and define it.

Do you waste time with #distractions? Do you get distracted easily? Which questions to pose in order to remedy it. #timethieves Click To Tweet

Deactivate dispensable notifications on your phone

As mentioned in the beginning, smartphone notifications are major distractions. Take into account that you do not control when somebody sends a message, tweets, posts on Facebook, when a company programmes an alert for an offer etc. Therefore notifications can arrive at any hour of the day (or night). Consider that the majority of notifications are not made to help you but to keep your interest and appeal to your sense of urgency.

However, if you deactivate social media and entertainment app notifications, do you really think you will miss something important or essential? After all, missing a notification does not mean you miss the message. When you open the application it will be there.

The thing is to avoid that notifications distract you at any time and that you regain the control of deciding when to check on an application. That is why I recommend you deactivate all dispensable notifications. By dispensable I mean notifications that are not reminders you have programmed in your agenda for example. It could also be WhatsApp messages from your partner, kids or boss. You will see that it feels liberating when your smartphone stops beeping every other minute.

The smartphone is the main #distraction nowadays. Do you think notifications help you? Why you should consider deactivating them. #timethieves Click To Tweet

Keep digital order

How many icons do you have on the desktop of your PC? How many application windows do you keep open at once? Apart from the visual distraction, you will also need more time to locate things. That is why I suggest your keep your desktop clean except for the applications and direct accesses to folders you use most.

When working we can open different files. Maybe we are interrupted and therefore check another file or an email. Perhaps we suddenly remember an important issue and open something else. At the end the status bar is filled with open applications and files. Therefore, each time you finish a task, close the respective file. Otherwise you will have a hard time concentrating.

Dedicate specific moments to checking email and apps

Both on smartphone and PC, I suggest you consider deactivating all notifications. That way, instead of checking on email every time you receive a notification, you can decide when to do it. I will not tell you how many times a day because that depends on your work and life. However, I suggest you remember that email is a tool to serve you and you should not become its servant.

The same goes for applications. We are talking about distractions so I only mean those with notifications. There are applications you might use for your work, even social media. Still, I suggest you decide the hours of the day when you check on those applications. Having deactivated the notifications it will be easier to decide when to do so and that the application does not simply tempt you.

Keep your work space in order

Disorder does not only distract us. It is also a mental load. That is why I suggest you keep in order your desk and everything within your field of vision while working. Otherwise you might try to concentrate on a task but other papers demand your attention. If you want to really focus on work and have a clear mind, check out this post on putting order.

Desk full of papers, #computer desktop filled with applications and files. Did you know that these visual #distractions affect your #concentration? #Timethieves Click To Tweet

Write down what is on your mind

We have seen before that errands and tasks to do as well as worries distract us. Therefore I recommend you write down what is on your mind. For projects, tasks and errands I suggest you have a system you can access anywhere. Be it an application in the cloud or a paperback agenda, the question is that you can note down whatever you come up with anytime and anywhere.

With regards to worries, we can have a hard time facing them. However, the mere fact of writing on paper what worries you, why it worries you and how you feel can be therapeutic. Unloading your mind and putting order in your thoughts by writing them black on white will relieve you. Ideally, of course, you do not leave it at that but also try to look for solutions to your worries.

Put your goals, projects and tasks into order

Now, you might have written down the tasks you had on your mind but still find a bit lost. Then I suggest you take time to think about your goals. Then review related projects and tasks. It is helpful to have a work system like project plans with their corresponding steps and milestones.

#Worries, unsolved issues and #tasks on your mind are important #distractions. How to get rid of these #timethieves Click To Tweet

Know your biorhythm

It is difficult to avoid distractions and interruptions all day. At the times where our energy levels are lower we have a harder time concentrating on important jobs. Then we feel more tempted to look for a distraction.

That is why I suggest you figure out which are your most productive moments. At what time do you concentrate and work better on important issues? Make sure that you eliminate possible distractions to the maximum during these hours.

Bonus: Can you distract yourself more productively?

We do not work as effectively at all times during the day. Also, we do not always work. However, we can always decide how to make best use of our time. So, be it in your free time or at work, when you feel tempted to distract yourself in any way, become aware. Then I suggest you consider if there is a more productive way to distract yourself. Instead of checking on social media for the umpteenth time, maybe you could read something, make an outstanding call, write down tasks on your mind, put order, organise a plan for the weekend etc.

How do you deal with distractions?

Do you tend to get distracted easily? Are you aware how often you get distracted throughout the day? Which are your main distrations and why? What do you do to limit them?

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