How to beat distraction

Quick—some saucy facts on distraction from the author of Your Brain at Work, David Rock:

• Office distractions eat an average of two hours a day
• On average, employees spend 11 minutes on a project before being distracted
• After an interruption, most people lose 25 minutes before returning to a task
• In work situations, people tend to switch activities every three minutes

Distractions, let’s face it, they ain’t going nowhere. Bing! You have mail. Bing! You have a text message. Bing! Your brother/mother/lover is trying to Skype you from America.

Technology may have connected us to others (and to the world) in a way previous generations never thought conceivable. But while that’s done our relationships a favour—at least for some—it isn’t always a plus when it comes to getting things done quickly and effectively.

Rather than let distraction inflate the amount of time you spend on any given task, employ these simple rules when faced with your next ‘to do’ that requires serious focus:

1. Create healthy routines

Your ability to concentrate depends on getting all the sleep, nutrients and exercise you need to ensure your body and mind function optimally. According to the University of Waterloo in Canada, “students who maintain all three generally achieve higher marks.”

2. Be non-communicado (at least for a while)

Simple. As distraction-beating expert David Rock writes in the Huffington Post, switching off all ‘incomings’ (any communication devices) is one of the most effective ways to hone focus. Your brain prefers to concentrate on one thing at a time, so be vigilant about removing things that steal your attention.

3. Speak rather than email

According to The New Scientist, create more time in your day by communicating verbally rather than via email. A study from the University of York reveals that emails can often be misleading and instead of making things more efficient, increase the amount of time it takes to complete a task. Be direct—go and speak to someone face-to-face.

4. Break things down and prioritise

I love the old saying that the only way to eat an elephant is with a spoon—in other words, bit by bit! Often distraction strikes when we’re faced with an overwhelming project, so overcome this by setting small goals, daily or even hourly. Take this advice from ‘emotional de-clutter king’, Peter Walsh: “If you don’t end up separating the urgent from the important, your job will end up managing you. Identify those tasks that most need your attention… Start every day with a list. Become a person who works methodically. If a new task crops up during the day, add it to the list in terms of priority.”

References available on request