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DISTRACTIONS - how to defuse them and boost your career.

Even successful individuals are vulnerable to distractions at work, with sometimes severe consequences.



  • ·Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, took long breaks during work hours caring for her newborn child. In 2014 this was judged a distraction and led to calls for her resignation.

  • The former CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick, was criticised in 2017 for behaviour seen as distracting and unprofessional, such as arguing with drivers and using foul language in public. Eventually, he was ousted from Uber.

  • Tesla's stock lost over $700 billion in value partly because investors thought CEO Elon Musk had become too distracted by his takeover of Twitter.

One in three people reports they can only focus on a task at work for 10 minutes or less before getting distracted. Is that your experience too?

Naturally, you have your goals. Yet, with only one eye on them and the other on distractions, you may lose focus on the path to reach those goals.


Distractions can be career killers. They reduce productivity, increase the likelihood of making mistakes and impair cognitive ability. Additionally, they can cause burnout, lower job satisfaction, and performance. They can also reduce the chances of advancement.

TWO TYPES OF DISTRACTION

There are two kinds of distractions at work. External ones are happening around you - like colleagues talking, phones ringing, people moving around, music playing, etc. There are also internal ones happening inside your head.


External

These are usually the easiest to defuse. Steps include:

  • Communicate- when you’re at capacity, set tight boundaries around you to flush out interruptions.

  • Meetings - help make meetings more meaningful. For example, ensure there’s a clear purpose or agenda. Resist going to ones that seem ill-organised or time-wasting and speak up about it.

  • Personal communications - restrict personal contacts to your free time. One in four workers says they spend at least one hour on personal calls, texts, and emails during a standard workday.

  • Multitasking – there’s no such thing. Brain research shows that doing more than one task simultaneously, especially complex ones damages productivity. While it may make you feel superhuman, completing several tasks in a short time takes longer and results in more errors.

  • Short time blocks – avoid long work stretches without breaks; they tax your brain, and shorter sessions will be more effective.

  • Organise and plan - research confirms that a written action plan increases productivity. The act of planning decreases the burden on the brain as it frees you from the worry of unfinished tasks.

  • Prioritising is a crucial way to focus and concentrate on one task at a time rather than trying to multitask.

  • Block Online Distractions - social media, online shopping, and internet searching are tempting. Most people use the internet for work throughout the day, but it’s also very distracting. One way to block these distractions is by using focus apps and software. Just as you can turn off your phone notifications to limit interruptions, you can also block specific websites to fit around your work schedule. Apps like Freedom and Serene are great for blocking online distractions and allowing you to focus on your work.

Internal

The second kind of distraction is the chatter of your mind.

This can be the biggest interrupter of all. Doing something about it may take more than adopting lengthy to-do lists, wearing headphones, or a unique hat to show you’re busy.

Strategies for managing mind chatter and staying focused at work include


  • Meditation or mindfulness - these practices can help to calm your mind and increase focus.

  • Visualisation - these techniques can help you imagine your ideal working environment, strive to create it, and remain motivated.

  • Listing - writing down thoughts and worries is a good way of getting them out of your head and onto paper.

  • Physical activity - such as stretching or taking a walk, to clear your mind.

  • Deep breathing - these exercises can calm your anxiety, reduce stress and help you stay focused.

  • To-do lists - break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Be wary of creating long lists, which can be hard to achieve and can demotivate.

  • Self-care - maintain a healthy work-life balance with regular breaks. Your brain operates best when you switch in an orderly way between focused and unfocused.

  • Positive self-talk – use this to fight distractions and reframe negative thoughts.

Experiment and find which works best for you.


FOCUS


According to the Potential Project studying thousands of people across the globe, the more focused you are, the faster and higher you're likely to rise in the ranks at work,

Other studies show that high levels of focus make people feel more balanced and productive. They may even help you to be viewed as a leader.


Distractions at work can harm your career by reducing your effectiveness and satisfaction, impacting your performance and advancement opportunities. It’s time to defuse them and take back control.

Want to be successful and happy? It's essential to focus on finding ways to concentrate intensely at work.



Read

M. Pettit, 7 Most Common Distractions at Work (And How to Tackle Them), https://www.lifehack.org/802571/distractions-at-work

J. MacKay There are only two workplace distractions you need to worry about (and they aren’t your phone, email, or social media), 2019, https://blog.rescuetime.com/the-fight-against-distraction/MASTER THIS CAREER

A. Marie, 35 Memes You Can Totally Relate to If You Get Easily Distracted, 2021, https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/distraction-meme

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