1. Use Technology To Keep You On Track
When it comes to staying focused, technology can either be good or bad, depending on how you use it. Rather than getting distracted by social media, try using apps and other tech tools to stay on task.
Try minimizing the amount of time that you spend on social media. One of the easiest ways to do that is by using apps that promote better focus. According to ZDNet, the Stay Focused Chrome extension is an excellent option. This extension allows you to block sites that distract you for a specific amount of time. You have complete control over the sites that are blocked and the time limits, providing a lot of versatility.
Social networks and other sites are also getting on board with time management. YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram all allow users to set limits on the amount of time that they use them each day. When you reach your limit, you will receive a notification. At that point, you can either decide to sign off or to keep looking at your accounts. 30 minutes goes by surprisingly quickly when you are browsing your newsfeed.
Most of today’s phones also have an option to limit your screen time. For instance, the iPhone iOS 12 has a time limit option under its settings. You can also choose to receive reports on how much you are using your phone each week.
2. Reward Yourself For Staying Focused
Rewarding yourself for a job well done is a great way to stay motivated. Rather than procrastinating by going for coffee or taking care of errands, try using activities like these as rewards. For instance, you could set a goal of focusing on work for two hours before you go grab a cup of coffee.
Without a system like this in place, it is easy to waste your entire day taking care of little unimportant tasks. Before you know it, the workday is over and you haven’t accomplished anything.
Some rewards that you may want to try to include the following:
– Walking around the block to stretch your legs
– Enjoying a healthy treat that won’t zap your energy or motivation
– Playing with your dog outside for 10 minutes
– Browsing the Internet for a specific amount of time
– Watching an uplifting YouTube video
To make this work, however, you have to wait until you reach your goals before enjoying your reward.
3. Get Enough Sleep
We all know the importance of getting enough sleep and the impact that lack of sleep can have on your health, well being and ability to focus. If you find your mind drifting at work or find tasks seem to be taking longer to complete you could well be in need of better sleep hygiene. You can track your sleep using an app. One of the most important contributors to a bad night’s sleep is your mattress. I yours has seen better days it is well worth investing in a new one. Try these Walmart mattress reviews.
4. Try the Pomodoro Technique
Some people lose themselves in their work, spending far too long working without taking any breaks. Other people require a tightly structured schedule to stay on task. If you fall into either of these categories, consider trying the Pomodoro Technique. This technique breaks your day down into timed periods of work followed by short breaks. You can use apps or browser extensions to keep track of your time, reminding you when you should be working and when you should be on break. Even though this doesn’t seem like it would work, adding a little bit of structure to your day is an effective way to stay on task.
You can use the timer on your phone or computer to experiment with this technique. Otherwise, there are a lot of different apps out there. Some apps even sync across multiple devices so that you can’t use your phone to sneak a peek at something when you should be working on your computer or vice versa. Some apps also track your time so that you can look back and see how successful you were at sticking to your schedule. Being able to see how you got distracted can help you avoid similar problems in the future. Some apps even work with Trello or other popular project management programs.
The key to success with this technique is to work as hard as you can during the work periods. Don’t stop working until the time is up. At that point, you can take a guilt-free break. The more you use this technique, the simpler it becomes to stay on task. It is a lot easier to power through work when you know that there is a short break coming in the near future.
