Maximize Your Work Day: Productivity Tips for the Easily Distracted

We all are given 8 hours a day to work, but for some reason there are people who seem to get more done than others. How in the world does this happen? We all do our best to work as hard and well, right?

The difference is that some people are better at handling distractions and sudden changes of plans. These distractions happen to the best of us – one minute you’re in the zone working on a project, and then something comes up that steals your attention.

It doesn’t matter how important it is or not, or if it took just 5 minutes or 50 – once you try to get back to whatever it was you were working on, you can’t seem to remember where you left off or how to get back into that groove. Each time this happens, you become less productive than you should be.

While there’s no secret way to be productive at work, one of the key things to remember is to know your priorities and do your best to stick to that. Everybody’s different, so know what works for you – here are some tips to be a bit more fruitful despite our daily distractions:

There are people who have minimal setups, while others thrive in an “organized mess” – find out which works better for you. If you are the former, keep the essentials on your desk and keep the rest in shelves or drawers. If you’re more like the latter, do whatever type of organization works for you, as long as it doesn’t hinder you from getting on with your day (for example, too much clutter that you have to sift through to get materials you need for the day).

As with physical clutter, there’s also such a thing as digital clutter. Keep your computer organized! Keep shortcuts on your desktop for any piece of software you use regularly. Try and make a file naming convention (if your company doesn’t have one) so you can easily search for files you need. And of course, minimize non-work activities like games and internet surfing.

One of the things that can easily distract us at work is food – or more specifically, hunger. If your stomach is hurting, you’re less likely to concentrate at work! Keep a water bottle on your desk and sip from it regularly, refilling as needed. Have some snacks that are both healthy and easy to eat.

Look at your tasks and take on the most challenging and difficult ones within the first hour of work – it’s been statistically proven that people are most productive during this time. After those tasks, follow with the lower priority ones, and lastly the more routine ones. Just be mindful of deadlines, of course!

Along with the above prioritization tip, try to make a to-do list. It could be on paper, a white/black board, or even on your phone or tablet (there are many free and paid apps for that). Check things off as you finish them, adding tasks as needed.

We are all exposed to various distractions, but not letting these get in the way allows us to be more productive and efficient, thus being a better asset to the company.