Do you ever feel like a 4 year old who just consumed a double espresso and a bag of cookies when you sit down to work? Like, your brain is a pinball machine and your thoughts are bouncing all over the place?
Maybe I'll just write that email before I call—no wait, I should probably post that image to Instagram first. Ooh! A new follower, what do they—shoot! I have to mail this today. Better run to the post office. Or maybe I should finally set up that stamps.com thing I keep hearing about...I wonder if I can find a discount co—who's texting me? Better check this out.
You know the deal, right? I've found I have to treat myself like a toddler and have implemented as many guardrails for productivity as possible so I can stay FOCUSED. Here are some of my favorite tools, apps, and ideas to prevent distraction:
Facebook News Feed Eradicator
This little gem blocks the biggest distraction of all time: your Facebook news feed. It just shows you an inspirational quote instead. I install it on my computer so I can only check messages, and interact in groups, but I don't get derailed by my aunt's friends's photos of her trip to Flordia or my 3rd grade classmates rant about politics. I can still scroll on my phone (should I choose to), but when I'm at work on my computer, I work.
Pandora Baroque Station
I can't remember where I first came across the idea that listening to baroque music increases productivity and concentration, but I thought "why not? I'll give it a try." I was impressed by how it really did seem to help me focus more than usual. Now when I really need to buckle down I'll turn on the baroque station on Pandora and get to work.
Pomodoro Method
I've written about this before because I find it so effective. But the bottom line is do some uninterrupted work in 25 minute time blocks, with little breaks in between. Use a timer to make it effective. If you haven't tried it before, check it out here.
Coffitivity
Sometimes I need a little background noise. I don't feel like music or a podcast...but I need a little something to not hear the silence or the thoughts bouncing around my brain. Coffivity gives you the ambient sound of a coffeeshop or cafe to boost your concentration and creativity. It might not be for everyone but I love it (and it's free!).
Headspace
The tools listed above are all great, but if your mind still resembles a 7th grade co-ed gym class (chaos! drama! judgement!), a little meditation is the place to start. I love the Headspace app for guided meditations. It's $8/month and it's worth it to me, but there are plenty of free meditations recordings and videos (check out Spotify and YouTube) out there, too. It doesn't really matter what you use, but calm your mind and your productivity will increase, guaranteed.
Eisenhower Matrix
If you're having trouble figuring out what to do first, or you find there's never enough time to get it all done, you may want to consult the Eisenhower Matrix. Just google this term and you'll see tons of information on it. Essentially, it just helps you sort out the urgency and importance of tasks so you can figure out how and when to tackle them. In the end, everything on your to-do list gets assigned to one of the following:
- Do it now
- Schedule it
- Delegate it
- Delete it
What else do you do to eliminate distractions in your day? How do you stay focused on what's important? Let me know in the comments below!