How To Properly Handle Distractions

Day in and day out, we have things that need to be done, tasks that need to be prioritized, and projects that need to be finished before a certain time. However, there’s always some sort of distraction that keeps you from fulfilling your task.

It can be your kids asking you for something or a game you can’t stop playing once you’ve started. Either way, distractions can make finishing your work a lot more difficult. Now, if you’re working on the social media industry, things can get a bit messy if you don’t learn how to avoid such distractions.

For one thing, your targeted schedule will suffer. And another, your clients might lose faith in your ability if you can’t deliver because you weren’t able to focus on meeting your end of the bargain. You don’t want that, now, do you?

How do you get over the common causes of distraction?

If games are your kryptonite…

Separate your work computer from your personal one. If you have 2 computers, make sure that one is dedicated mainly for work, free from fun games that can eat up time and take your mind off of the task at hand.
Set aside game time and stick to it. Some people simply need to get their urge to play games out of the way, and then they can start focusing. If you’re one of them, allot 15 to 30 minutes of your time to play before starting to work.

If the Internet is what does you in…

Don’t open a browser unless you really need to. Having one open when you don’t need it only increases the temptation of gallivanting all over the web, thereby making you lose your focus.
Minimize the windows that shift your attention from the task at hand. It could be your instant messenger, your email client, or the browser. Either way, keep these windows down on the task bar unless you really need them.
Use a different browser for work and personal browsing. This will help limit the chances of you opening up sites that you’ve added as a favorite on your usual browser. Also, do not import your bookmarks from one browser to the other because it will defeat the purpose of using a different browser.

If you’re constantly needed to be available for family…

Set up your home phone. Find a way to set up your landline phone in such a way that only calls from family members’ numbers will ring out and other calls will go straight to voice mail.
Designate a ring tone for family. For mobile phones, make sure that you assign a specific ring tone for people who you need to be available to 24/7, all the while keeping other calls on silent (not vibrate) mode.

For other distractions…

Noise can make concentrating difficult. Find a quiet spot where you can work in peace. Listen to music, make your room soundproof, use ear plugs, or any other means you can think of to make the noise a little less distracting.
Do not disturb signs work well. If you’re at home and working from the family study, hang a door sign that tells the people you live with that you do not wish to be disturbed unless it is for a really important reason.
Time yourself. If you find yourself losing focus every 10 minutes, set up an alarm for 10 minutes and work until the alarm goes off. When you go back to work, work the alarm dial up an additional 5 minutes and work until it rings. Work your way up to 25 minutes or more until you can focus for longer periods of time.

If you’re able to focus more, you’ll be able to get done with the things you need to do faster. By disciplining yourself to work around these distractions, you maximize your productivity and free up extra time for other things in the process.

How about you, though? How do you work around the distractions around you?