Do you struggle to focus?

With modern technology available all day long it has become a challenge to focus on the task at hand. Let’s say you are at your computer writing a blog article and your daughter sends you a text. You are on a roll with your writing, and your ideas are flowing but suddenly your phone buzzes, and you can’t resist checking it. You reach for your phone, and now your concentration is lost. What did your daughter so urgently need you in the middle of the workday? She asked, “What’s for dinner?” This certainly is not an emergency. However in my thoughts to move forward, I made the mistake of answering her, “Not sure, will figure it out later.” There you go, now I’ve gotten into a conversation of about ten texts back and forth. In the meantime, I’ve totally lost my focus. What in the world am I working on?

This is just one of the scenarios that happen throughout the day. We now have buttons on our cell phones that say “Do Not Disturb” to alert someone when you are in the car. Wouldn’t it be nice to have that same button when we are working? It’s a constant challenge and a struggle to stay focused and efficient so you can get things checked off your ever-growing to-do list.

The key to getting stuff done is to shut off notifications, turn off your phone and just get the work done. Some apps can create restrictions to limit who can text or call you during work hours this way you can set it up so that your family can still reach you in the event of an emergency. I suggest you let them know what you are doing so that they understand your need to focus, and so they respect your work hours.

Respect goes a long way with your boss or your clients. Interruptions cost you time and time is money. When you lose concentration you become sloppy and make mistakes that can cost you a sale or your job. This is becoming a huge problem to manage. 

Use these tips and tricks to eliminate some distractions during your workday:

• Turn notifications off on your phone and computer
• Use a different form of communication with your work team
• Use texting mostly for personal contacts
• Use Slack for business
• Set a certain time to check your email
• Keep your personal and work emails separate

The more you eliminate distractions the more work you will be able to get done. This will lead to more sales and better customer service. Don’t let distractions derail your day.