The No.1 skill that will set you apart from 98%
In today’s fast-paced world, staying focused can be a challenge. With so many distractions around us, it’s easy to lose track of time and productivity.
Switching your focus from one task to another affects your productivity, like smoking does to your health.
It’s a good fact that focusing on more than one thing at a time, reduces your productivity by 40% That’s the cognitive equivalent of pulling an all-nighter.
The most efficient way to navigate through your to-do list is to focus on one task at a time. It lowers the efforts required and thereby reduces the feeling of stress and frustration
The number one skill that will set you apart from 98% of the world’s highly distractible knowledge workers is the ability to focus on a single task.
So if you wish to multi-task do multiple tasks throughout the day but one task at a time. Allocate your time or day to a project.
10 simple steps you can take to stay focused and achieve your goals.
1. Cut out all distractions: Identify what distracts you the most and eliminate it from your work environment. It could be your phone, social media, email notifications, or people around you. Turning off your phone, closing your office door, or using noise-canceling headphones to block out noise are some effective ways to eliminate distractions.
2. Remove all unnecessary tabs from your screen: Having too many tabs open on your computer screen can be overwhelming and distracting. Try to limit the number of tabs you have open and focus on the task at hand.
3. Try to work offline: Working offline can help you to avoid the distractions of the internet and other online tools. If you don’t need internet access to complete your task, consider working offline.
4. Turn off notifications: Turn off all unnecessary notifications on your phone, computer, and other devices. This can help you to stay focused on your work and avoid unnecessary interruptions.
5. Silent your phone and keep it away for a while: When you are working on an important task, it’s best to keep your phone away or on silent mode to avoid distractions.
6. Schedule time for email “Not more than 10-15 mins” 3 Times a day: Emails can be a significant source of distraction. To avoid getting sidetracked, schedule specific times during the day to check your email, and limit the time spent to not more than 10-15 minutes.
7. Maintain a practical to-do list, with actionable tasks: A practical to-do list can help you to prioritize your tasks and stay focused. Make sure to break down larger tasks into smaller, actionable steps.
8. Schedule 30 mins of free time: Taking regular breaks throughout the day can help you to stay focused and maintain productivity. Schedule at least 30 minutes of free time into your daily routine to recharge your mind and body.
9. Maintain a read-later list/bookmark: If you come across an article or website that you want to read but don’t have time for it, maintain a read-later list or bookmark it for later.
10. Procrastinate on purpose for distractions: Sometimes, distractions can be a welcome break from work. Instead of fighting them, you can schedule time to indulge in them deliberately. This will help you to enjoy your distractions guilt-free and return to work feeling refreshed.
