Almost everything which you do needs your undivided focus . At every given moment, smartphones, text, and social networking all vie for your attention. The cost to your personal and professional life of these distractions is well known. According to researchers at the University of California, Irvine, it takes an average office worker 25 minutes to resume their original task after an interruption, and an experiment conducted by the writers of The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success discovered that job interruptions reduced performance by 20%.
There are additional, less obvious distractions. It has been shown that surrounding yourself with undesirable individuals has an impact on weight gain, alcohol, and also the chances of divorce.
Have you ever seen one of those days when you’re stuck in front of a computer screen attempting to cross anything off your to-do list and finding yourself utterly incapable of concentrating on the job at hand? Maybe you’re on Facebook or have fallen down the rabbit hole of news, social networking, and the myriad other obstacles that the Internet offers, rather than attempting to concentrate on your daily goals.
You are not alone in this. Over 84 percent of us struggle with procrastination on a regular basis. For me, procrastination was the primary cause I always ended the week without accomplishing what I desired. This ultimately included doing longer hours on weekends and evenings while I would rather be with my family or working out and engaging in my physical and mental wellbeing.
That was the primary reason I spent two years experimenting with various techniques and methods to increase my concentration.
Also read : Best Book that gave me a lot of respect :Rich Dad Poor Dad
Apply the Pomodoro Technique to more time-consuming tasks
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management technique for increasing efficiency. Francesco Cirillo created it and called it after the Pomodoro-shaped timer he used.
It’s a straightforward idea. You switch off all obstacles and function non-stop for 25 minutes with full concentration. After that, you take a five-minute rest. This procedure is repeated for 115 minutes, at the end of which you would have served for 100 minutes and had 15 minutes of breaks.
You should change the timings and amount of repetitions when you get a better understanding of how you perform best.
There are some critical points to keep in mind whenever you attempt this method of target setting:
- Throughout the 25 minutes, you must remain completely focused on the task at hand. Shut down your social networking accounts, store your handset in a box, and avoid being bothered. Concentration is important.
- It is not enough for all tasks. This is not a strategy for teamwork. I find that it works well for study preparation, copywriting, and activities that include desk testing.
- Do not anticipate instant effects. It took a couple days for me to notice the noticeable improvements in my work pace, but after two weeks, I was completing reports in roughly half the period I would usually predict.
Make a List of Your Objectives
Noting stuff down is a kind of superpower that we all possess. It’s more about psychology. In his novel, Influence, Robert Cialdini discusses a research that discovered a medical center might eliminate missing appointments by 18 percent simply by requiring patients to write down their own appointment times.
- Writing stuff down helps to increase our commitment to them as people.
- I now begin each day by jotting down a list of tasks I need to accomplish that day. It’s a minor adjustment that requires less than a minute and significantly aids in my concentration.
- There are few items more exciting than crossing anything off your to-do list with a giant tick! The same result is not achieved by clicking a mouse.
- It’s a simple tip to try and requires very little time out of your day, so it’s well worth your time.
Concentrate Your Efforts During Your Most Productive Hours
The two strategies mentioned above are stuff you should do today to see how they help you stay focused on your goals. What I’m going to say is a privilege that I’m aware many people lack.
However, if you are fortunate enough to be able to, strive to structure the day into the most profitable hours.
Per day, a human being is believed to be active for fewer than three hours. Nonetheless, we have typically structured our workdays to run from 9 to 5, with no time spent away from our phones.
As a result, it stands to reason that if you work certain hours, you would feel as though at least half of your day has been spent.
I spent about a month tracking my productivity at various periods of the day. Throughout that month, I worked weekends, afternoons, and evenings. In other days, though, I spent the whole day (hello, freelance life!). I kept track of my performance and how I felt. This is what I discovered.
As I was writing copy (for which I had already conducted research), the following hours were the most effective in terms of word count:
I evaluated the same issue as it came to report writing:
What became apparent to me is that I do well in the early morning and moderately well in the evening. And, to be honest, I’m fairly worthless in the afternoon.
But why was I attempting to coerce myself into performing these activities that need concentration at a time when I am obviously not naturally focused?
This was a surprise for me in terms of target setting. I started changing my workday in every way that I could. I began operating early in the morning and, if necessary, again in the evening. My day is structured in such a way that I can get out for a stroll or do something active in the afternoon, if necessary. And in the event that this is not feasible, I take calls and schedule sessions.
I avoid producing paperwork in the afternoon wherever necessary.
This significantly increased my efficiency and helped me to regularly finish my weekly to-do list by the weekend, allowing me to spend more time with my family.
Two factors encouraged me to do so:
I am self-employed and have the ability to work flexible hours.
- If you are working rather than self-employed, it might be worthwhile to speak with your supervisor. Making a business argument about how they will gain the most out of your compensated time can be necessary to convince them to allow you more versatility about how you structure your day.
- If you are unable to structure your day in this manner, simply altering the activities and tasks you perform at some times (documentation during your most productive hours, conversations during your least productive hours) will help you stay concentrated.
Use Browser Extensions to Remain Concentrated
Whether you’re someone who is easily overwhelmed by social networking or the press, there are resources available to assist you.
• Stay focused: A Chrome extension that enables you to completely block those websites
• DE procrastination: A Chrome extension that enables you to monitor your productivity levels, identify the websites rob your time, and block accordingly.
Eliminate or reduce the presence of toxic individuals in your life.
This are the ones that play the villain, are trapped in poor behavior’s, or making you feel tired or worse for yourself in general. Assemble a group of people who are optimistic, concentrated, creative, and ambitious. Keep in mind the late legendary speaker Jim Rohn’s rule: “You are the average of the five individuals with whom you invest the most time.”
If you’re searching for additional resources to assist you in being profitable, the following are some nice options:
Work More Wisely
Investing in playing with productivity strategies enables me to devote more time enjoying the stuff I like without jeopardizing my career or opportunity to increase profits. Small improvements made the most impact for me, and I hope they do the same for you while you work on objectives and accomplish tasks.
Also read : Best Book that gave me a lot of respect :Rich Dad Poor Dad
Conclusion
To stay focused on goals, structure your workday into the most profitable hours. By tracking your productivity, you can identify the most effective hours for word count and productivity. Adjust your workday to include weekends, afternoons, and evenings, and avoid producing paperwork in the afternoon. Consider working flexible hours, speaking with your supervisor, and changing activities and tasks to stay focused. Use browser extensions like Stay Focus and DE procrastination to block distractions and monitor productivity levels. Eliminate toxic individuals and build a supportive team. Investing in productivity strategies allows you to focus on enjoyable activities without risking your career or income.