There is no denying the fact that technology has helped us in saving a lot of time. However, most of us invest this saved time in the technology itself in the form of mobile phones and social media platforms, etc. Frequent checking of phones and laptops during work and other social settings is a common phenomenon and it leads massive digital distractions. However, with some discipline and effort, these distractions can be kept away.
Digital distractions are common in schools, colleges, workplaces, or even while working from home. It has become a habit to check phones for notifications every now and then, even when we are working. As these distractions break your concentration and render your work ineffective, they should be avoided as much as possible.
It’s extremely difficult to work when your phone is beeping every now and then. Similarly, social networking platforms also end up wasting a lot of time. People believe that multitasking is easy but it comes at the cost of productivity. Following are some great tips that will help you to avoid digital distractions and help you increase productivity and stay on track when it matters the most.
1- Define a Point of Focus
To avoid digital distractions the first thing you need to do is to tell yourself to stay focused and you cannot stay focused if you don’t know what to focus on. Your work goals should be well laid out and there should not be any compromise on them, but most importantly, you should even break down those goals into smaller daily milestones.
Definitely, there will be distractions, be it digital or others but you have to shape up your mind in such a manner that you should be able to ignore all such distractions and think about the small milestones you have to cross. Once you are focused on whatever you are doing then after initial difficulties you will surely be able to overcome these distractions.
2- Avoid Using Cell Phone While Working
It’s advised that you keep a landline instead of a mobile phone when you are working. The buzzing notifications distract your attention and pull you towards using the phone. Also, once you pick it up to check a notification you will be tempted to check your social profiles and other unnecessary applications. Thus, if the mobile phone is not critical to work, you should keep it away.
If you are working from home, consider a quiet place to work from and leave your phone in another room. But, if you are expecting work related calls, ideally you should keep it in the same room but at a distance where you cannot get hold of it instantly and use it only when needed. Do check these tips and you can find more ways to minimize the use of cell phones while working.
3- Add Your Favourite Contacts
A lot of people also use phones to be available to their loved ones in their time of need. If you are concerned about this fact and want to address it while maintaining discipline at the same time then it’s better to add family and other important contacts to the list of favorites.
This way you will be able to get notified of their messages or call and they will be able to get in touch with you easily whenever required.
4- Consider the Focus Tools
If staying with the phone and checking it for emails and other relevant stuff is absolutely necessary then you may use various focus tools available online to help you deal with digital distractions.
There are several focus tools online to help to keep these distractions at bay. These tools specialize in specific tasks that are aimed to keep you focussed when you are working. They have features that allow you to put your emails on hold, replace social media newsfeed or even block websites that are not required while you are working.
5- Use Noise Cancelling Headphones
The use of noise-cancelling headphones will help you to keep the distractions away when you need to focus. You may put on relaxing music or nothing at all to concentrate on your work better.
The headphones help to kill the background noise be it of kids shouting, phone notifications or any other sound that distracts you.
6- Take Adequate Breaks
The urge to check your phone is natural and there are high chances that it will always be there. You cannot give up your phones or social media platforms for a longer period of time.
Thus, to keep you engaged and excited during work, you need to pre-set your break time. Take adequate breaks and check your phones or other online platforms as this way you will be satisfied, however, a more pragmatic solution is to use these breaks for non-digital engagements, i.e. walking in the green, a quick nap, few squats or stairs climbing, a table tennis session if it’s available and so on.
If you are working for a longer period of time without break, not only it will affect your productivity but will also increase your urge to check the phone in between or use your laptop for non-productive tasks.
7- Meditate & Breathe
Simple meditation and breathing exercises can also help in digital detox. These exercises improve your concentration levels considerably and also enhances your patience. Your body and mind will feel much better if you do these simple exercises and you will be able to exercise great self-control in avoiding digital distractions.
Summing it Up
If you are able to implement the above tips diligently, you will easily be able to keep distractions at bay and keep up the motivation levels for achieving your goals in a timely manner. You just need to ensure that you set your boundaries, respect the break time and create an environment that will help you thrive.
