Episode Six: Tools to Manage #Distractions and Maintain #Focus

Distraction reduces productivity by disrupting focus, increasing errors, and causing cognitive overload, ultimately leading to decreased output and increased stress. Interruptions, even brief ones, can significantly impact performance, taking time to re-engage and increasing the likelihood of mistakes. Distractions disrupt Processes like memory encoding, making it harder to retain information and learn new things.

Below are 11 tools you can use to manage distractions and maintain focus.

1) Minimize technology distractions: Turn off your phone and notifications, use the Focus Time features, and set up do-not-disturb messages and automatic responses. Turn off all work-based notifications through emails, Teams, or Slack, block distracting websites or apps, and use tools like Freedom. Freedom can sync blocking sessions across all your devices.

2) Schedule dedicated "checking" times: Instead of constantly interrupting your work to check emails, notifications, or messages, set aside specific blocks of time throughout the day for this purpose. I have found that morning, midday, and end-of-day checks work well. You can also place an email tag that specifies you will get back to people within 24 hours, as your schedule may differ from theirs.

3) Set clear goals and Intentions for your work periods: Having well-defined, small goals and a plan of attack helps your mind focus on the task at hand. Break down large tasks into smaller steps. Grouping similar tasks reduces context switching and promotes deep work, a state of focused concentration.

4) Use timeboxing and the Pomodoro Technique: Allocate specific blocks of time for focused work, taking short breaks in between to prevent burnout and maintain focus. The classic Pomodoro time block is 25 minutes on task with a 5-minute break, but you can shift the breaks to best suit your needs, as long as you are taking a break each hour. In the break, it's best to do some movement, get up, walk, stretch, and breathe. Use a simple kitchen timer, not your phone, to have a visual and auditory reminder to take the breaks. One of the blocks of time that is important is a deep thinking block, where you can think, learn, and ponder.

5) Practice Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, making it easier to redirect your attention when you get distracted. Try a short deep breathing meditation or the 54321 grounding technique to help you be in your body and the present moment.

6) Change your space and medium: You can maintain focus by changing your physical surroundings and the environment by working in different locations: a quiet space, a park, on the porch, an office, or a coffee shop. Switching between different mediums of work in a time block also keeps you engaged. So have a block of writing followed by a block of visualizing or solving problems.

7) Embrace the "Pre-Game Routine": Develop a routine that signals your brain that it's time to work, such as using the same playlist, music, or drink next to you.

8) Practice Self-Awareness: Recognize what triggers your distractions, whether it's social media, email, or other external or internal stimuli. Recognize internal factors like hunger, fatigue, stress, and anxiety that can disrupt focus. Jot down any distracting thoughts that are taking up space in your head, competing with the task at hand, so you can acknowledge them without losing focus on your current task.

9) Manage Your Emotions: Distractions can sometimes be a way to avoid difficult emotions or tasks. Addressing the underlying emotional needs can help reduce the urge to distract. If internal distractions are significant, consider professional support, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which can help improve focus and decrease the duration of distractions

10) Set Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries with yourself and others about when you need quiet time to focus. Close the door, and use do-not-disturb signs and messages. Share your calendar with all the time blocks to show that you are busy. Hold those boundaries and resist the urge to respond immediately. The need to be available all the time stems from ego or fear, and both are lying to you.

11) Try a body double or accountability partner: If you're struggling with distractions, try working alongside someone else for a period of time, a work buddy or accountability partner. Body doubling is a technique where you work on a task or project in the presence of another person. This person doesn't necessarily have to be actively involved in the task itself, but their presence and the shared space can help with focus and motivation. It also works in an online environment using cameras, so you can see the other person. You can also do this in other areas of your life using things like exercise partners or meal prep partners.