Effective Ways to Get Rid of Distractions at Work

"Distractions destroy action. If it is not moving you towards your purpose, leave it alone." -Jermaine Riley

You sit on your table with your morning coffee at the ready and start typing down your reports. You then get yourself amped for work and during the first few minutes or hours, you are nailing down work tasks one by one until you let an errant thought cross your mind, entertain it and lose your focus and momentum entirely. Now, you are seemingly lost as to getting that same energy back and at the same time that little email notification on your computer's taskbar starts to get a bit more interesting--before you know it, you find yourself expunging spam email from five years ago or something of the like.

Distractions are incredibly insidious and sinister; they creep up when we least expect it--you may have the world's most conducive for working office desk, but that does not mean your desk is not an area teeming with potential distracting factors. However, possible things that do distract you can be countered effectively, and it can be done in these easy ways.

1.) Budget your time

If you are constantly wondering where the day went by when you are leaving the office without having anything done, chances are you are getting distracted. To prevent scenarios such as this one, create a schedule which would allow you to account for all of your time and tasks. This schedule should include everything from your free time, meetings calls to quiet work time. Budgeting your time means you will likely accomplish what you need to do within the day and is a way to be more productive.

2.) If you have a door, shut it

A closed door means you do not want to be disturbed. If you are undisturbed, you tend to accomplish more within the day. However, some of us only have desks available and are not fortunate enough to have our offices. Fret not, however, as simply installing a simple sign that you do not wish to be disturbed achieves roughly the same thing a closed door does.

3.) Stop checking your email every once in a while

If your job does not entail you having to check your email every now and then or if it does not require you to stay online for the whole eight hours of your work shift, then schedule time around the day for checking your email instead of mindlessly sifting through it during work. Limit how often you check and only answer emails that require your urgent attention during the designated slots of time you have slated.

4.) Put down your mobile device

Anyone with a mobile device would tell you just how much time you can waste on that gadget. Today's devices are no longer limited to sending text messages or making calls, but they have been given extensive features such as games and surfing the net. If you find your device within eyesight on your desk, you are likely to get distracted by twice as much than if you just had it in your briefcase or your purse. Keep it out of sight until your work shift is over and you will definitely accomplish more.

5.) Consider a change of scenery

Being under a lot of pressure can cause us to be more susceptible to distraction. Every now and then, it would be best if you took a quick break so as not to overstress needlessly and exert yourself. However, if an urgent project needs to be done or if you are working on a strict deadline, perhaps a change of scenery would help you. Work from home or on the road if this is possible, but if you are unable to find a vacant office spot to get things done faster with little to no distractions.

Author Bio:

Abbeygail is a freelance writer that writes for Optimind Digital, a digital agency Philippines that provides digital marketing services utilizing the web, social media, search and mobile. She also writes articles with different topics like social media, mobile applications, travel, food and wedding.