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Distractions are known for interrupting our focus and they come in a variety of forms: a bored co-worker, an obnoxious tone or alert for incoming email, activity outside your window, a delivery, a phone call, or even a boss who is clueless of the deadlines you're working with at the moment.
Other distractions are brought on by personal things such as a plethora of photographs sitting on your desk or pinned to a bulletin board, a text from a teenager requesting to have friends over after school, a notification from Facebook, a phone call from a family member, or researching vacation spots for this winter.
Regardless of where your distractions come from, identifying and addressing them will help you regain focus and get your work done in less time. You might go so far as to place a small sign outside your office door/cubicle wall stating "Do not Disturb" or "Power Hour". Retraining co-workers isn't as difficult as you might think; often they appreciate knowing when not to interrupt you and will gladly leave you alone.
Shut off all notification sounds and symbols related to your email, cell phone or social media. You will be amazed at the silence this will bring! Get into the habit of checking personal cell phones and email during break time and over lunch. And if you're surrounded by clutter of any kind, take time to sort and purge so only those items you really need are left.
Here's to getting more done in 2012!
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