Workplace Productivity: 5 Effective Ways To Manage Common Distractions

September 17, 2019

Focus is the key point to be productive at work. Unfortunately, a staggering 70% of employees admit to getting distracted on the job. Although part of the problem comes from the workplace itself, about 80% of those workers admit to being responsible for their distractions.

The reality is that nobody can remain 100% focused on their work at all times, but if distractions are taking up too much time, they can lead to poor performance by eroding your ability to focus. This can often result in poor judgment and silly mistakes.

Studies also show that:

Employees spend about 25 minutes getting back to the point they were working on before a distraction.
Frequent distractions and interruptions can cause increased stress and frustration.
Once you’re interrupted while doing a task, the odds increase that you’ll forget an important step in the process that you were in the middle of before you got distracted.
Workplace distractions cost the US economy over $580 billion a year.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to manage distractions and maximize your productivity. Here are five proven ways to do just that.

Manage Technological Interruptions

Devoting a couple of minutes every day to respond to a text or check your email is not really a major problem, but if you do this excessively you will get distracted. The surest way to avoid this is to turn off your notifications and alerts.

If your position allows for this, only limit these activities to twice a day. Alternatively, you should make it a habit to leave personal errands and answering or making phone calls only for your lunch hour.

Have A Schedule

It is extremely hard to get distracted if you have a work schedule. One of the best strategies is to allocate blocks of time for tasks and projects that require a lot of concentration. Consider devoting the first hour of your day to doing the most difficult work.

With a schedule, you are less likely to allow yourself to get distracted. But if you are susceptible to self-distraction, share your goals with a friend at work. And after every week, go through your progress together. This will help you remain focused.

Watch Your Health

A healthy employee is less likely to get distracted or stressed at work. For instance, failing to get enough sleep makes you irritable, tired, and reduces your ability to focus. Be sure that you are getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

It is also important to drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Dehydrated employees often feel more tired and sluggish, which can increase your chances of getting distracted.

Take Action

About 80% of employees report that chatty coworkers can be a distraction. Therefore, if your day is filled with people coming to your office on their own time, it’s wise to take action. For example, set up designated hours for walk-ins and share those times with your coworkers.

Create Time To Reflect And Set Daily Goals

At the end of each day, take time to reflect on your goals. Use this time to also focus on what you intend to accomplish tomorrow.

Write down a list of goals for the next day and always review them before starting your day. This way, you can easily monitor your performance, identify weaknesses, and find ways to address them.

Distractions are common in any workplace. The secret is to find ways to manage the distractions effectively. With these five strategies, you can be sure to do just that. If you want to learn more ways to improve your productivity, contact NEXTAFF or visit our blog today.

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