When was the last time you were productive for at least six hours out of eight working hours? The possible answers might be “I don’t know”, “I don’t remember”, or “Mmmm… Maybe, the first two weeks of joining”.
Distraction is an unavoidable constraint in one’s work life. Unexpected phone calls, surprising pings from friends, peripheral chit-chat, snacking, discussions on weekend plans, monotony, mood swings, and many more can be the reason why you cannot stay focused on your work. Scientific studies say, “The maximum period for a human to concentrate on a particular job or task is 15 minutes”. But if one would really start implementing this find in one’s work life, you are sure to lose your job within the next fifteen days.
Attention diversion is a common phenomenon among most average working persons especially the ones in their twenties. With the increasing internet or rather social networking addiction and the era of text messaging, the attention span of this section of the working population has reduced at an alarming rate. And to be very honest these hindrances are inevitable. But can you really afford to let all these hazards come your way and lower your productivity and potential? What you need to do is to make a mental note to say “No” to things that are not urgent and are not an emergency. The right decisions and some applied techniques can make your working hours more fruitful effortlessly and without you feeling claustrophobic of your workstation or cabin. So, how to do it? Here are some awesome tips to gear up your spirit and rejuvenate you for the next work day.
Choose What You Like Best
This is a pre-job step taken by almost all people who are on a particular job. You are bound to lose interest in something you don’t like doing, aren’t you? So, why not take up something that can hold your attention and interest longer than normal? Some people make it a point to choose a career related to their hobbies and interests so as to never get bored with what they do. On the other hand, people working in stringent and serious environments can always find a way to include fun ideas or creative thoughts into their job in order to evade the monotony. Another advantage of this method is, that sometimes you get a wonderful solution to some problem or find a new way to achieve your target.
Organize Your Schedule Before Hand
When you reach your cabin or cubicle in the morning you have a hundred thoughts running in your mind and ten different ideas you would like to implement in your work. Problem is, you don’t know how and where to begin and ultimately start fiddling with your workstation equipment. The solution is to sort things out. Prepare a “to-do list” and stick it in front of you since planning in advance is the signature characteristic of a true professional. The list should be made in a way so that it defines the order in which you are going to take up a particular task. Strike off once a task is finished. This lifts up your spirits.
Clean and Organized Work Stations
People with a dismantled workspace often find it difficult to concentrate. They are unable to find the required stuff like a pen, paper, or some important documents due to their disorganized workstation. This is one of the main causes of distraction where you get interrupted in the middle of something like searching for a document and then you completely forget where you left off. Having things in the right place and a systematic way of handling all your work types of equipment will both give you a suitable and serene work environment and thereby you will not lose focus for trifle things.
Have a Set Up for Snacking
Going out every now and then for snacks or coffee is a common factor for distraction. So have a snacking set up in your cabin itself. Bring in water and dry snacks before starting your day. This helps a lot.
Wear Headphones- The Do not Disturb Sign
Internal issues are not the only speed breakers of your work schedule. Constraints like external sounds, phone calls, colleagues chit-chatting, and frequent knocks are the most important causes of attention fluctuation. Since you cannot put a do not disturb sign outside your cabin or cubicle, just put on the headphones. They are enough to indicate that you or in “work mode” and won’t like to be interrupted.
Avoid Lengthy Internet or Phone Interaction
The young working section tends to be drawn towards social networking sites even in the middle of an urgent official call or documentation. The best way to overcome this is to work offline or if you really cannot diminish internet usage since it is a part of your work then strictly stay away from social networking websites. Text messaging is another drag that causes you to sigh away from your work and finally return with a blank mind. It is better to keep the phones in silent mode or fix a particular period when you will take up calls or make callbacks that are urgent.
