How to Stay Focused in an Increasingly Distracting World

Absentmindedly, you reach for your phone. You open your favorite app. Nothing has changed since you last did this 10 minutes ago, but you kind of forgot that you'd just done this. So, you open a different app… but you were just there, too. Does this sound familiar?

Sometimes, we convince ourselves we're being super productive by staying up to date with the latest news and happenings on social media and responding to emails immediately. The reality of the matter, though, is you are distracting yourself from bigger things.

 When you're at work your focus should be on work. When you're at home your focus should be on your home life. It’s time to take back control.

No More Notifications

Open your phone settings right now and and turn off notifications. You don't need an update about who sent what Tweet yesterday. You don't need a constant stream of news updates breaking your focus. Check social media at set times, do the same for email, and ignore it the rest of the time.

A Healthy Routine

You can improve your focus by establishing a healthy daily routine. When you set your routine and you get used to it you don't have to waste time thinking about what comes next. It's why people like Steve Jobs did and Mark Zuckerberg does wear the same outfit.

Prioritize

What does your day look like? What is on your to-do list? The best way to avoid distractions is to rank your tasks in order of priority. It can be overwhelming when you think about all of the things you need to do, by putting them in order you remove the stress and overwhelm.

 Say No to Multitasking

Are you a multitasker? If yes, are you good at it? If yes, you're wrong. Sorry. Your attempt at multi-tasking is slowing you down, reducing your productivity, and you're not doing each task as well as you could be. By multitasking, you contribute to distractions.

 Renew

When your schedule is going haywire, when the world is throwing distractions in your face it's difficult to take a moment for yourself. However, renewal is vital. As your energy dips, memory is fading, and you can feel the stress creeping in, it is important that you withdraw from that and take time to regenerate.