1. Set clear goals
Rather than saying, “I’m going to work a solid eight hours every day,” make a list of your top priorities for the week. This way you will avoid reacting to every distraction that comes up. Check your list and be realistic about what tasks you can accomplish each day.
2. Work in blocks of time
During the day, our alertness drops off at various points, and it’s easy to be distracted. Set a timer for 60 to 90 minute blocks of time and take a break at the end of each cycle. Reset your focus by listening to music for a few minutes, taking a short walk, or having a glass of water.
3. Switch off the world
It’s easy to get distracted. So avoid temptations by cutting yourself off from daily emails, phones calls, mobile notifications phones and your coworkers. Find a quiet place away from your office to work—such as booking a conference room or hiding out in your office. Use Google to put in focus time into your daily calendar and track your efficiency at time management.
4. Schedule distractions
Distractions are not all bad, but you need to make them work for you. Reward yourself for a solid work period by building in time for every day distractions. If you love Instagram then allow time for it by scheduling it into your day. Take control of daily distractions.
5. Practice being focused
Try Meditation. It’s a great way of learning to focus. If that’s not your thing, practice single-tasking throughout your day. At lunch, just eat. Don’t read the newspaper or check your email at the same time. In meetings, don’t doodle in your notebook or play with your phone.
6. Notice stuff about yourself
When you start to notice more about your habits you’ll find you will understand what triggers you or what leads to distraction. At least then you can learn how to avoid being distracted.
7. Use technology to help you
From blocking out distracting websites to tracking how much time you spend surfing the web, many apps can actually help you stay focused. Once you identify what your habits are, pick one that will help you meet your goals, but don’t let these become distractions in themselves.