Distraction-free on your most important work

Last week, I had a long phone conversation with a friend. He has some PhD thesis work left and is going to another city for research projects, where he will initially be working from home.

During our conversation, he mentioned that he would allocate a separate room in his house for work. He also plans to buy a comfortable chair and table so he can work in peace. Then he asked, "What can I do to work with focus? My mind often wanders."

Well, the mind’s nature is to wander. However, if certain precautions are taken, the work can become easier. I mentioned that in this regard, Chris Bailey's famous book "Hyperfocus" is one of my favorites. Chris spent many years experimenting with productivity, and he documented his findings in his book. He writes, "Dispel any notion that, as a productivity expert, I have a superhuman level of self-control. What I am better at is managing my impulses ahead of time. After choosing how long you’ll focus, eliminating distractions is the second step of hyperfocus. Eliminating distractions before you hunker down on a task makes focusing infinitely easier, as important tasks fill your attentional space quite naturally when there is nothing competing with them."

It’s worth noting that anything that distracts the mind from its original task is called a distraction. Distractions are of two types: internal and external. Internal distractions are those that are present somewhere in our thoughts, and external distractions are those present in our external environment. When we need to do a task that is complex and difficult, these distractions can easily divert our attention.

Anyway, I continued the conversation and advised him that before starting his research work, he should remove all unnecessary things from the room that are unrelated to the work. For example, if you are writing, remove your mobile phone, TV, unnecessary books, etc., from the room. Even a beautiful frame hanging on the wall can be a distraction.?????

To focus on any complex task, it is essential that no other object is consuming your attention. Because our attention span is limited, if any matter is occupying the mind, then you won’t be able to produce the desired results, as you won’t be able to focus properly on your work.

Therefore, I advised him to ask himself before starting his research work, "What is going on in my mind right now?" and write down whatever comes to mind on a piece of paper. For example:

1. Call the manager.
2. Visit the dentist.
3. Buy vegetables.
4. Get the car tuned.
5. Prepare for the presentation.

By making a list of distractions, all the things running through your mind will come to your conscious awareness. Writing them down so that they don’t slip from your mind will help you focus more fully on your work.

After hearing this, he said, "I now feel that using this strategy, I can really control myself. Just one small issue remains." I asked what it was. He said, "What if my wife knocks on the door for some reason?" I smiled and told him, "This will remain a constant burden on your attention. And you don’t have the courage to say no to your wife. So until you develop that courage, both productivity and safety lie in finding a place away from home, where returning takes time, so frequent coming and going doesn’t ruin productivity."

What is your most important task? And what is your strategy to stay focused on it? Please share in the comments.