Stay Focused and Avoid the Distractions
Discipline and focus are trained behaviors
It happens to all of us. We sit down to get our work done and then....just like Dug, the dog from the movie Up - we turn are heads and… “squirrel!” We get distracted, and almost all the time, it was for something that did not require our immediate attention. Maybe our phone made a sound, our smart watch vibrated, or someone popped by to ask a “quick question”?
In the book Indistractable by Nir Eyal, the author tells us to ask ourselves a simple question. "“Did you do, what you said you were going to do, for the time you said you were going to do it, without distraction?
These distractions can totally derail our focus and cause us not to get our tasks done. A study from the University of California says that it can take more than 23 minutes for us to get back on track for our tasks.
We are not naturally focused and disciplined. Our brains are not designed to keep large amounts of data memorized.
Here are some tactics that can help you avoid the distractions as stay ultra focused:
Turn off notifications on your phone and your smart watch for social media and messaging. .
Clean up the home screen on your smart phone to contain only the most essential apps you need.
Set expectations with others who pay potentially interrupt you. It’s ok to tell people no, not now or here’s when I can talk about that.
Commit to only 3 outcomes everyday. Be focused on getting those accomplished no matter what. Having too many tasks that you want to get done often leads to nothing getting done.
Visualize success. In the morning, imagine how you want to be able to look back on the day .
Use an app that follows the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that breaks down work into intervals separated by short breaks. Alternatively, you can use the timer on your smart phone.
Take breaks during the day to meditate. This will recharge your mental batteries.
Build a time-blocked schedule using an electronic calendar app like Google Calendar. Turn the notifications on for appointments.
Map out your SOP (standard operating procedures) and projects with a project management tool such as Asana, Monday, Trello, or Click Up.
Document your journey with a pen and a journal. It helps with your memory and focus. This habit will help you to keep doing what's working and change what's not.
Discipline and focus are trained behaviors. We have to work on them every day, like we exercise our muscles to be strong. Build the right habits, lean on the right technology and create the systems you need. This will help you have productive days.