Conquering Distractions in the Workplace

Modern professionals deal with a wide range of workplace distractions on a daily basis — some timeless, and some brought on by advances in technology. These momentary lapses in focus can make it difficult to return to the task at hand, resulting in an incomplete to-do list. Whether you're dealing with Facebook or a chatty colleague, finding ways to conquer distractions is essential to productivity and peace of mind.

Change Your Environment

The office environment is packed with distractions. Ringing phones, loud conversations and friendly co-workers can make it difficult to stay on task, particularly for tasks that require prolonged attention. To deal with external workplace distractions, make changes to your environment. Close your office door, if you have one, or shut yourself in a conference room. If you are constantly distracted by colleagues, move to a quieter desk or cubicle. In open offices, or offices with no alternative workspaces, put on headphones and block out external sounds with music or white-noise generators.

Say No to Meetings

Meetings are an inevitable part of professional life, but they can serve as serious workplace distractions. If you find that you are constantly pulled away from your desk by pointless or inefficient meetings, learn to say no. Refuse invitations to meetings that do not have a specific purpose. Explain your concerns to your boss, and request that all required meetings use an agenda and stick to a strict schedule. Say no to meetings that don't explicitly require your presence, or come for only a portion of the session.

Set a Timer

If your workplace distractions tend to be self-inflicted — checking social media accounts every five minutes, getting lost in Internet articles or conversing with friends via text message — consider setting a timer. Choose a period of time to work on a pressing task, and promise yourself that when the time is up, you can take a distraction break. Whether you work for 20 minutes or one hour, the time constraint and the reward can help you stay on track. As an added benefit, working on a single task rather than multitasking can also improve focus.

Eliminate Visual and Auditory Cues

Communication technology often comes with a variety of visual and auditory signals. A vibrating phone, an email notification or the sound of a new text message can sabotage your concentration in an instant. Minimize your automatic response to these workplace distractions by eliminating all technological notifications. Turn off all sounds on your phone, including vibrations, and program it to stay dark when a new text message comes in. Shut down your email and instant messenger programs, or set them to refresh manually.

A surfeit of workplace distractions can sabotage your concentration and make it impossible to stay on task. By identifying the root causes and finding ways to conquer distractions, you can be more productive and peaceful at work.

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