Recently on Facebook I asked this question: “Is it just me – or do you experience this as well?
I often have so many things circulating in my mind that I start one thing, think of something else that completely takes my attention off what I was working on, and then I start working on the new idea before I forget it, and on it goes.”
Quite a few people commented and it seems I’m not the only one that experiences this. What a relief!
I spent some time thinking about why this may be occurring and I’ve been able to identify five things that can cause me to go off track. Here’s my list:
- Not setting clear intensions for what I want to work on therefore not being committed to the project at hand.
- Having a cluttered desk, which then blocks my energy, attention and can cause me to become distracted very easily.
- Not having a formalised to-do list with most important things at the top so I just keep jumping all over the place.
- Keeping my email and social network platforms open – tempting me to join in conversations as they occur rather than specific times during the day.
- Not blocking out time in my diary to dedicate time to work on tasks that I want to give my undivided attention to.
Gosh, just looking at this list I can see now why I was finding myself loosing concentration and getting disrupted. So, tomorrow, I’ll make sure I do the exact opposite of what I’ve listed above to keep me on track!
What about you? What do you do to keep yourself focused on the task at hand? Feel free to write your suggestions here on my blog. Ok?!
I can relate. I often find myself struggling with distraction from time to time. I’ve found out that working in 50 minute chunks, then taking 10 minute breaks allows me to stay focused, concentrate on my task, and finish it.
Sounds like a great strategy; and as it is working for you – that’s even better!
I have found that setting a timer is a great motivator as well. If I give myself a certain amount of time, there’s nothing like focusing to ensure you get as much completed before that alarm goes off.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I’m sure this will be helpful for our readers as well!
Many people have this problem and the sad thing is that most people do not realize it. This results into wastage of so much valuable time. I think the best way to deal with this is just as you have put it. Having a clear program on what you want to do at any particular time is a very good way of ensuring that you are done with one thing before moving to another.
You’re absolutely right Jesse – thanks for sharing your wisdom!