Ways to Focus on Your Work without Interruption

Colin Powell once said, “A dream doesn't become reality through magic it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” And all of us know it to be true that hard work brings success. We all know it but we also have to know that hard work also implies focused work and that’s where come all the problems. How do you stay focused and motivated?

Many of us are ready and determined to do hard work and start up a project, but soon loose determination and give up. We get distracted by something or the other. It is distractions both internal and external that kill the drive towards focused hard work. So, today we will learn how to avoid distractions and stay focused.

At first, let us focus on what are the types of distractions? Basically, there are two types of distractions - internal distractions and external distractions. To keep having focused hard work it is important that you know how do you stay focused and motivated without distractions and even when there are distractions around you.

How to Deal with Internal Distractions:

Causes of internal distractions are your thoughts, impulses, stress and emotions. Suppose, you are trying to focus on your work and thoughts or emotions about the upcoming vacations are constantly distracting within your mind. Or it can be like you are working for the stress of the deadline itself is bothering you constantly. It can be stress or anticipations of any kind that cause internal distractions. So, how to avoid distraction of mind?

Daily Meditation and Meditate Before Work:

There is no better method for dealing with internal distractions than practicing meditation to calm and focus your mind. Try starting with 20-30 minutes of daily calmness. Choose a relaxing posture and just relax. The most trusted and ancient technique for calming your mind and meditation is to try and focus solely on your breathing. Keep your focus on inhalation and exhalation and let go of everything else in your mind and body. Keep practicing this daily and you can also do it before you start working. You should also try the same thing while you are actually working. Whenever you are disturbed by a thought, bring back our attention to your breaths and keep working. In this way, you will be able to get into a state of flow with your work where you are fully focused and at one with your work. And that’s how to avoid distraction of mind.

Work with Intermittent Breaks:

With a high level of anxiety and stress, it sometimes can be very difficult to work for a long time without adequate break or rest. So, you can try to have focused work for as long as you can and then take a break of 15-20 minutes and then repeat. You can have a cup of coffee or have a walk around while you are having the break.

How to Deal with External Distractions:

What are the causes of distraction? Whether you are working from home or at office, the causes of external distractions are the people around you, your cell phone and browser notifications. A UC Irvine study showed that it takes up to 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. So, we better be wary of these for having a focused hard working session. Follow these simple yet effective techniques on how to avoid distractions at work.

Make Your Intentions Clear:

As the main source of distractions are the people around you, so you have to talk to them and make them understand that you are a focused hard worker and you do not want to be distracted while working. Tell them that it is for the greater good for you and the organization you are working for. Tell them that they can call you only when it is a real emergency. You can also put a “Do Not Distract” sign on your door or desk.

Silent Digital Distractions:

While having a focused working session you don’t want to be disturbed by phone calls and app notifications. It is better to keep your phones on silent mode. You may also put some auto responders on to let your callers know that you will get back to them soon.

Use Headphones or Ear Plugs:

There can be situations when nobody is distracting you but the environment is noisy anyway for some reason. In such a situation, using an earplug of big headphones can be a good idea.

Other Tips on How to Avoid Distractions and Stay Focused:

● Use background music that strengthens focus

● Work according to schedule and routine and stay on it.

● Don’t compromise with your sleep and have a healthy diet.

● Set goals and rewards for every session of your focused hard work.

And exactly that’s how to avoid distractions at work and distractions of mind. Follow these ways to stay focused and motivated and keep having focused hard work towards success.