Have you ever sat down to get your work done, looked up at the clock, and realized an hour has passed and you got nothing done?
With all the distractions of daily life and our own internal distractions, this can happen to anyone. Most people have been affected by distractions at one time or another but if you are someone who struggles with focus on a regular basis, you know how frustrating this can be.
A recent client came to me with this problem, but in a rather unique setting. She liked to get her work done in a coffee shop–it helped her to feel less isolated, as sometimes happens when working from home. But, each time she went she realized that after an hour or so she hadn’t got any work done.
Each time she went she wondered, what happened to the time?
She really enjoyed working in the coffee shop a few days a week, but knew it wasn’t sustainable if she couldn’t accomplish anything. So, she came looking for suggestions.
If you find that this has happened to you, here are some things that may help:
Start each hour with an intention. Before you sit down to work, think about what EXACTLY you want to accomplish in the next hour. Then write this intention down on a post-it note and stick it somewhere you will see it (on your laptop, back of phone).
Wear noise cancelling headphones. Any headphones will do but some are better at noise cancelling than others. This will help if you find you are distracted by outside noises.
Listen to music. Some people work better with soft music playing in the background than in total silence. Take some time to become aware of whether total silence, background noise, or music works best for your productivity.
Turn off notifications. This is obvious but something that most of us have difficulty doing, especially as we become more attached to the digital world. First, turn off notifications on your phone then flip your phone over so you are not tempted. Turn off all notifications on your computer for the one hour that you have intended to work. If you need your phone to be conscious of the time, set a timer before you start working.
Keep a distraction notebook. Many people are distracted not only by the external world but also by their internal thoughts. You are working for 20 minutes then a great idea pops in your head! You can be tempted to start researching this thought and going down a rabbit hole. Keep a small notebook by your side while you are working and every time a thought pops in your head that you want to remember, write it down. That way you can research it later.
Have you tried any of these? I would love to hear from you to let me know if these ideas were helpful!
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