The majority of us would like to find more focus in our working lives, the ‘to do’ lists can seem endless, and our sense of achievement can be hard to find!  Recognising this, we’ve gathered together five ways to stay focused, reduce distractions and be more productive.

Prioritise

Start each day by creating a simple ‘to-do list’, designating your urgent & important tasks as a priority.  Utilising The Eisenhower Matrix helps you to prioritise, remain focused and avoid distractions.

For more information visit  https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/

Singletask rather than multitask

The idea of multitasking is actually a myth, it’s been proven that our brains are designed to do one thing at a time, and when we think we’re multitasking, we are actually asking our brains to jump from one thing to another.  Realising this and focusing on one task at a time (it’s not always easy in the busy workplace environments we experience today) will improve your concentration and productivity.

For more information on singletasking, we recommend ‘Get more done one thing at a time’ by Devora Zack

 Practice ‘chunking’ your time

Time chunking is a technique which divides your working day into 30 minute ‘chunks’.  This 30 minutes is divided into 25 minutes of completing either a single task or a number of shorter tasks followed by a 5-minute break (5 minutes is enough time to make a cuppa, grab a snack, stretch your legs and get some fresh air – but crucially it’s not enough time for your brain to be distracted). This is repeated 4 times, followed by a 15-minute break. This method of dividing your time enables you to focus on completing tasks within a given timeframe; without this method, a task could take hours longer than it needs to.

Avoid distractions

Do you find that you spend more time than you’d like to admit on your smartphone, social media or watching videos on your laptop?  There are so many distractions facing us every moment of our lives and it requires discipline to focus our brains on the task in hand.  Consider turning off the notifications on your phone for period of time, turning the sound off or even putting your mobile out of sight/reach during your 25-minute task!

Declutter

Piles of paperwork, a cluttered desktop, unorganised computer… all of these things can create anxiety about how much you have to do, and how to priorities your urgent and important tasks.  Giving your physical and electronic workspace a declutter will allow you to concentrate and reduce distractions; it’s time well spent.

We hope you’ve found this guide useful, and wish you well with improving your focus and productivity.