A lot of people I talk to bring up the issue of distractions when we talk about focus and time management.
We can talk all day about getting into focus, about awareness of our energy levels, about avoiding procrastination, and increasing productivity…but what about those times when we are focused, only to get distracted by a coworker, email, or phone call?
Overall we are a society tied to constant connection. We keep our phones in our pockets, on the desk in front of us, on our nightstands (or in our beds). Our emails are often available on our phones, along with social media, texts, and various other apps and features that offer regular notifications.
Technology has shifted our patterns of focus, and in many ways we are accustomed to having new communication available to us at any given moment.
Cognitive research has found that this commitment to technology and communication impacts our cognitive load. Even having our phone out on the desk in front of us as we are working or meeting with someone takes some of our limited mental focus (even if we aren’t paying attention to the notifications!).
Beyond technology, we face countless other distractions in our workplaces. Coworkers, guests, children, neighbors, deliveries, etc. Some of these are specific to your work setting, but the common theme is that external distractions almost always surface in one way or another.
So, with all of this, how in the world do we maintain focus and get things done?
A study through UC Irvine found that when distracted, it can take an average of 23 minutes to regain that concentration! Additionally, interruptions can lead to higher stress and frustration, as well as more time pressure.
With this information, we can recognize that distractions are a hindrance to our productivity and progress. Oftentimes we just accept that that’s the nature of beast.
What if it wasn’t?
What if we could develop strategies to handle distractions so that they don’t completely disrupt our workflow?
While it is not possible to predict and control distractions, there are ways to better prepare ourselves to handle and avoid them.
There are many ways to deal with distractions, but here are five of my favorite strategies for optimizing focus and taking control of distractions:
1. Ask: Is the distraction urgent?
It’s difficult to mitigate distractions when we feel like we need to address them immediately as they come up. Whether it’s an email, a phone call, or a coworker starting a conversation, sometimes the best thing we can do is check our reaction to address it immediately.
Do we need to shift our focus right now? Is this distraction an urgent matter that needs our attention right away? Or, is this something we can make a note of, and then take care of later?
When it’s an phone call or coworker, can you quickly communicate to them that now is not a great time, but you will get back to them in [give them an estimated time]. This isn’t invalidating their need, while also not disrespecting your focus and time.
2. Airplane mode isn’t just for 20,000 feet
Put your phone on airplane mode, and remove it from your desk (from the room if you can). Seriously. Remove the temptation, because even if you’re good at ignoring the notifications when they pop up, that split second it takes to see the notification light up the screen is enough to cause cognitive distraction.
The key here is to set boundaries, communicate them, and stick to them. Let family, friends, and coworkers know that you’ll be blocking out focus time when you will be unavailable. These don’t need to be long chunks of time, even 25-minute Pomodoro blocks can be beneficial if you’re worried about being disconnected for longer periods.
3. Set communication blocks
It is so easy to get distracted when a new email pops into your inbox. And it can be hard not to read it immediately and feel a pressure to address it right away.
Avoid this unending pressure by setting communication blocks throughout your day. These are the times you will work in your inbox. If you know you need to send out emails but don’t want to get sucked into the other messages popping into your inbox, you can work outside your inbox in a couple ways:
- Draft your emails outside of your inbox – use a word file or Google doc to write everything out, then, when you’re ready to enter your inbox, all you need to do is copy and paste and the email is ready to send.
- Schedule your emails during your communication blocks. Many email platforms allow you to schedule your emails to be sent at a future date. Use this to your advantage and work ahead while you are in a communication block so you don’t have to jump back into your inbox again later to send the email.
Again, it’s important to set boundaries, communicate them, and stick to them. If you work a job where it’s expected that you’ll be available by email, figure out how you can fit your communication blocks into your schedule in a way that allows you to engage regularly, but not constantly. Make commitments that work for you and your focus. Test them out and see what works well.
4. Take five minutes
When distractions occur they can really throw us off track. We may lose our focus and momentum, and have a hard time getting back into the task we were working on before the distraction occurred.
Take five minutes to re-engage with your focus. Take a deep breath and think about what you were working on before you got distracted. What was going well? Where did you leave off and how can you jump back in?
Use these five minutes to collect your thoughts and refocus your energy toward the task at hand.
5. Track distractions to build awareness
This is a strategy I recommend to many of my clients. Spend a couple regular work days keeping tabs on those pesky distractions. Keep a notebook or document open and jot down distractions as they occur throughout the day.
After a couple days, look back at your notes – look at when distractions occur and what they typically are. With a clearer understanding of how distractions show up in your workday, you can then look back at the other strategies mentioned to figure out how they can best work to your benefit.
We can’t eliminate distractions entirely, but we can certainly set ourselves up to handle them intentionally.
Give yourself some space and time to experiment and see what works well for you. Keep track of what you’re trying and how it is beneficial (or not).