“You can’t do big things if you’re distracted by small things”
Bzzzz…DING… it’s only 9 am and my cell phones been making noise since my alarm went off at 6 am. Does this sound familiar? Unless you are living in the middle of the bush somewhere without internet, chances are, you are suffering from information overload and workload overwhelm. How are these distractions affecting your productivity? If you lift your phone up every time it chimes or rings, studies show it takes 21 minutes each time to refocus on what you were doing. Add that up over your day and you’ve wasted a lot of valuable time.
Instant communication is an amazing things… especially in the business world; however, if you don’t learn to manage your time appropriately you could be in for a mental crash.
Here’s are 5 ways to stay productive, and forge towards your goals despite the constant head-wind:
- Make Lists.
Every morning I create my “Personal Power Schedule”, I keep it to 3 things that I MUST complete that day. 1..2..3.. that’s it. As soon as I notice thoughts entering my mind that do not align with my list – I mentally Ctl/Alt/Delete it and carry on. It’s a very intentional thought process I use to stay focused. How often have you thought something in your mind that you wanted to do that day and then 1 hour later you can’t ever remember what it was? That is why you must write it down, pen to paper, and give yourself a giant gold star at the end of the day when you’ve completed your list. - Stop Scrolling.
Social media = the ultimate time sponge. Stats are saying that the average time spent scrolling social media is 2 hrs/day, yikes! That is a lot of time spent on… nothing really! I, too, use social media for business and completely understand the importance of consistent posting and engagement, however, you need to make this time intentional and not just a habit out of boredom. - Uninstall APPS.
This is the ultimate of freedom, what a weight I lifted off my shoulders when I uninstalled my email from my phone. YES! You can too. You do not, I repeat, DO NOT need to answer every single email within 5 minutes. It’s as simple as that. I encourage you today, to delete at least one APP from your phone – try it and let me know how that feels. - Turn off Notifications.
I’ve done this more and more frequently, if we feel the need to instantly answer or engage in every single alert, we would spend our whole day this way. The “Unfollow” button is your friend. - Schedule Time.
Try scheduling specific times of day, where you give yourself time to check-in with the online world, answer any comments and engage with peers. This will positivity impact your productivity and help your mind remain focused on the task at hand.
Taking time to unplug and be unavailable from your distractions is so important; it’s not selfish, it’s necessary. Of course, new habits take time – try one small change at a time and you will be on your way to a more productive routine.
Deep breaths – you’ve got this!
Vanessa Jahnke is a leading nutrition and healthy living expert helping women all over Canada create healthy, happy and successful lives. She is the co-founder of Pure Gym & Juicery in Penticton, BC and a healthy living blogger at www.vanessajahnke.ca. In a world where we are inundated with diet information, Vanessa’s approach to healthy-living is fun, straight-forward and attainable, drawing thousands of people to her blog and online programs.
