If you find that by the time you finish reading this paragraph your attention has been pulled away at least once, you probably get distracted fairly easily. It’s difficult not to be, with ceaseless phones pinging updates, nonstop inbound emails, and constant general ambient noise coming at you from all sides. So if you find your attention span going the way of the average second grader, use some of these methods to help increase your focus and productivity.
- Remember you don’t always have to be “connected.” If you really need to get something done whether at work or at home, turn off your cell phone. At the very least, mute all noise. Unless you know an extremely important call or message is imminent, temporarily silence it. The same goes for work email. If you must, add a quick “away” message while you’re working on your primary focus; almost every text or message or call that comes in can wait. Find a quiet place to work or put on headphones with music (classical often works well — no lyrics to distract) and dive in.
- Take scheduled breaks. Rather than simply working in long stretches until bleary-eyed, try using the Pomodoro technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes and work steadily then take a three to five minute break. Set the timer for another 25 minutes and repeat. Once you’ve logged two hours of work, allow yourself a longer (15- to 25-minute) break. This practice will help train your brain to focus and “stretch” like a rubber band for certain periods of time before it relaxes — the technique enables your brain to switch gears more readily.
- Get up and move. During your breaks, add some sort of physical activity, even if it just a short walk. Simply allowing your body to move gets the blood flowing and helps get things moving in your brain as well. So do some stairs, find a quiet corner to do some yoga stretches, take a quick walk around the parking lot. In addition, regular exercise (30 minutes daily) will help develop concentration, especially for those with ADHD. And know that it doesn’t have to be done all at one time. You can break up the 30 minutes into 10-minute increments, for example. Physical movement is mentally energizing; it allows you to refocus once some energy has been expended.
- Some of us have the habit of looking at everything as equally important or having to happen right now. Of course, when you’re an editor, for example, the people bringing work to you probably all believe theirs takes top priority. Find out exactly when things are needed and work from the most to least urgent. Focus on one task at a time, and you’ll see that things get done more readily…and with less stress for you as you keep it all organized and don’t get distracted by everything that comes across your desk.
Taking a few simple but necessary steps can help you cut out distractions and become more productive. And the more you practice, the simpler it will become.
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