With the ubiquity of cell phones, staying focused can become a real challenge, especially at work. Here are 5 tips to resist the call of notifications!
It takes you on average 23 minutes and 15 seconds to resume a task after interrupting it. In a society where notifications and distractions linked to screens are omnipresent, succeeding in concentrating on the long term becomes a real challenge! However, it is essential to learn how to do it and stay it as long as possible. Fortunately, psychotherapist Anita Owusu reveals to us in Psychology Today, 5 tips for not losing focus and being productive in what you do.
Complete one task at a time
In an age where we are subjected to a ton of information per second, it is especially important to focus on one thing at a time. This is also one of the keys to optimizing productivity. Although the concept of multitasking is synonymous with high efficiency, it can also result from superficial and shallow work. This is why it is important to dedicate yourself fully to one task at a time. This way, you will be more likely to finish your activity quickly, without getting lost.
Little advice: to do this, set yourself challenges like: “I'm not touching my phone until I finish writing my report, or until I finish reading this”. You will see by establishing these kinds of rules with yourself, you will be more productive in the long run.
Practice mindfulness meditation
Receiving a new email, a colleague speaking to you, a call from a client… how can you stay calm when everything happens at the same time? To avoid spreading yourself too thin, you need to train yourself to deal with each thing in its own time, as we saw above. So, to manage this stress and continue to be effective in your work, you can practice mindfulness meditation. This relaxation method helps you integrate the information you receive one by one, sorting it with calm and serenity. According to the psychotherapist, this exercise joins the first advice by allowing you to “dedicate your full attention to the task at hand, without being pulled in all directions by digital distractions”.
Time your working times
To boost your productivity, set a time limit for completing your tasks. Indeed, using this method of “stopwatch” could help you stay fully active, while paying less attention to external demands or distractions. For greater efficiency, it is recommended to close the tabs of your browser that you are not using for this task. This way, you'll be less likely to get distracted!
In case you haven't finished once the time is up, don't panic! You just need to re-evaluate the time you need and give yourself a break!
Reduce your screen time
If you have a job that requires constant use of screens, it is recommended to take breaks “unconnected”. For example, if you want to take notes, feel free to use the traditional paper and pencil method, instead of typing everything out on the computer. This little break without a screen will allow you to reconnect with reality and relieve your eyes of blue light for a moment. Another idea may be to favor interactions with your colleagues to find a solution rather than looking for it on the internet.
Good in his body, good in his head!
Analyze your preferences
Finally, consider your preferences. Indeed, when it comes to concentration, we are not all the same. The important thing is to understand what works (or not) for you and to be able to apply it.
So do a little analysis of yourself: What is distracting you? Do you prefer to start with “easy” tasks to better stay focused later (or the opposite)? Do you maintain your concentration better when you break down the tasks to be completed over the entire week? All these little details will give you an idea of how you need to work to be efficient, and help you become less distracted by screens and their annoying notifications.
