Two Ways to Reduce Distraction and Get Things Done

Learning opportunities abound around you. Every slip you make, every negative encounter, or a hard day at work carries with it many lessons to learn from, and every part of these events carries with it something that you can gain.

Note: This article is based on Corey Fradin, founder of the QuickBooost blog, and tells us about his experience in reducing distractions and sources of distraction.

For example, I currently work from home, and my workplace is usually nicely set up. I sit at a neat desk next to a large window that looks out over a lush green valley, and when I open that window, a warm breeze blows all over my house. I play music on my speaker to keep me focused on writing and be a productive person.

Balance

My life has changed recently (for the better). My wife gave birth to our first child a few months ago, and we enjoy our time with her so much; however, as we currently have limited childcare resources,and we both work from home, we've begun to work with a new balance, like we're walking on a tightrope suspended in the air.

Also, both of us are trying to be as productive as possible while making sure our daughter is learning, having fun, and getting the love and attention she deserves.

The days of long, non-stop work are gone

For now, I'm trying to have some balance between an attentive father and an efficient business owner. So, it's easier than ever for me to fall victim to distraction. My wife and I know how to handle time, and we are an equal partnership because we are both busy parents and effective employees.

It started out a little hard, but every new moment of challenge and discomfort is an opportunity to learn, adapt, connect, and evolve, and from that, we've created something that works for us.

Two ways to reduce distraction

Our balance doesn't mean I can focus like I used to, as there's more going on than ever before. Even though I know what I'm doing is difficult, I'm doing two very important things to enhance my ability to stay productive during the chaotic days.

There are two strategies to follow when distractions arise in your life:

1. Set boundaries

One of the keys to a successful balance that my wife and I have been able to achieve (for now) is through setting boundaries. There are probably no boundaries, and it's more like an expectation because we're currently working full-time and caring for our daughter. We had to draw the lines clearly for who works and when.

For this, we sit down and work together. My wife takes the caring role for a few hours, then we switch, as we know exactly when we have time to be productive and when we're not.

Slack

Another example of setting expectations can be found by looking at my work. Among other things, I help people achieve their goals by coaching them, and currently, I work with a group of three; It's very rewarding and fun, we do weekly video calls, and we also communicate a lot on Slack.

However, after using it, I learned that this app is a huge distraction. With notifications popping up and conversations going left and right, I knew if I didn't put boundaries in place from the start, this app was going to consume my life. So before I started the program, I had to set expectations:

Sometimes, I'll be available on Slack all week to answer questions, but there's no set time; However, for one hour a week I will be 100% available on the app for anything you want to discuss so if you have something to talk about you will know where to find me.

• You can find me on Slack any time of the week.
• You can ask me whatever you want during my working hours.

By setting those simple boundaries up front, my awesome group knows two things:

These pre-expectations have allowed me to reduce Slack distractions while maintaining productivity and keeping my group engaged.

Adhere to your expectations

In your life, you can do the same. Instead of letting people into your office at any time, or allowing spam calls and messages to rule your life, set boundaries. Tell them when they can expect you to listen, and most importantly, when they can't. Then, stick to the schedule that you've outlined. That is, if you tell a client that you don't answer calls after five, stick to that, and if you tell your friends that you only answer messages at lunch, do it only at lunch.

You may be saying to yourself, “Nobody can act this strict,” and you are right. You can answer that call or respond to that message whenever you want, if you are not at the hours you specified that you will not answer calls and messages, that is fine. What matters is that you set expectations. So, if you want to take the call after five, go ahead, and take it because you want to, not because you need to.

If you want to answer them, answer, but if there's a more pressing project waiting for you to start, stick to your boundaries, be careful about your distractions, and set expectations about what's allowed and what's not.

2. Noise cancellation

I enjoy working in coffee shops. It feels great, but is ‘awesome’ the right word to describe this feeling? It doesn't matter what the appropriate word is, all that matters is that I enjoy it.

However, I don’t always work there, but when I do, I make sure to bring my headphones with me because I get easily distracted, and my focus level drops to zero. But my headphones get me back on track. Suddenly, I can resume my work and make the progress I need to.

When you work, you need to be in control of your environment. If you're in a crowded office or a noisy restaurant, having the ability to block out the noise so you can focus on what's in front of you is a must. So, when you find external factors distracting you:

• Wear your headphones.
• Browse YouTube.
• Find some relaxing music that will help you focus.
• Focus on your main task.

Even if music isn't "the thing" to help you focus, give this a try next time you feel distracted, and it will help.

Side note: Make sure you put together a long playlist with a high tempo and little or no lyrics, words will distract you, slow music can make you sad, and short playlists will have you looking for something new to listen to.

Keep working with minimal distraction

See every stressful moment as an opportunity to learn and grow. Are your colleagues distracting you from work with their loud voices? Try using headphones. Is your boss driving you crazy with their "urgent" late-night emails? Set your boundaries.

In conclusion

Find the distractions that derail you, and treat them as areas for improvement. Remove the difficulties, and create a system that allows you to actually get your work done. If I can be productive at home with a teething baby, you have no excuse, too.