6. Gossip
For some unfathomable reason, gossip seems to be a favorite pastime at
most workplaces.
How is this a productivity killer? First of all, it's a big time-waster. That
10-minute coffee break can stretch to 20 if there's a good bit of hot gossip
to be shared. Trips to the water cooler become more frequent when you
want to catch up on the latest buzz.
Secondly, gossiping makes you feel bad about yourself. You know you
shouldn’t be talking about other people and know that you'd feel very hurt
if your coworkers gossiped about you (which they probably do. Nobody's
immune to office gossip!)
Gossiping may make you feel part of the crowd but when you get back to
your work, your guilty conscience will probably distract you from getting
back into proper focus. It can become a very vicious cycle.
Quick fix:
Refrain from gossiping and avoid places where you know it
takes place the most, such as the watercooler or smoking lounge. Avoid
chronic gossipers and try to surround yourself with people who don't
gossip. There will definitely be a few at your workplace.
Let it be known that you are a non-gossiper by not commenting on what
others say. Your silence will speak volumes. Again, you don't need to be
offensive or rude. Your behavior will simply let others know that you
prefer not to gossip. You'll also boost your own self-pride and celebrate
your integrity and values.
In fact, you'll gain a lot of respect - and the trust of your coworkers because
they'll know you'll never share in any gossip about them!
7. Noise
Noise is a huge mental distractor. We often don't notice it if we work in
typically noisy environments and therefore don't see it as a real problem.
But it can wreak havoc with your ability to organize your thoughts, focus
your attention and retain information.
Unfortunately, we hear people saying that they perform at their best when
listening to loud rock music on their headphones. But have you ever
wondered why places like libraries and coworking spaces strictly enforce a rule of quiet? The bottom line is that noise is a distractor because it
prevents your brain from functioning optimally. To test this, simply try
writing a paragraph describing yourself. First, do this in a noisy place like
a bustling café or a crowded park.
Next, write the same paragraph as you sit somewhere quiet. You'll find
that you are able to think more clearly, organize and express your thoughts
better and finish the task faster. When comparing the two pieces of
writing, you'll almost always find that the second is much, much better.
Quick fix:
There are several ways to avoid noise distractions depending
on the nature of your work environment.
- Keep your office door closed.
- Use noise-blocking headphones if you work in an open office space.
- If you work at home. Make sure your workspace is in a part of the
house that is quiet, such as a backroom that is away from the
street.
- When working at home. Set firm rules that family members keep
noise to a minimum.
- Block distracting street sounds and voices by listening to soft,
relaxing music through headphones. The buzzwords here are 'soft'
and 'relaxing'.
8.Clutter
Studies have shown that physical clutter causes mental clutter. Trying to
work in cluttered surroundings overexerts the brain because even though
you don't realize it, it's constantly processing the items, colors, and sounds
around you. In addition, your brain is also busy processing your own
thoughts and actions as you work. In other words, working in a cluttered
space is like working with half a brain.
Clutter usually means disorganization as well. It can involve searching
frantically through messy drawers for things you've misplaced. It could
mean having to redo a task because you've lost your notes or other
materials related to it. Merely sitting at a messy desk piled high with
clutter can bring down your mood and sap your peace of mind.
Clutter, therefore, becomes a big time-sapper as well as a focus-sapper and
mental stressor.
Quick fix:
Get streamlined! Start by decluttering your workspace and
storing or discarding what you don't use on a regular basis.
Your desktop should be clear of everything except for the bare essentials.
Papers, files, and office supplies should be neatly organized in drawers
where they can be accessed immediately. Office equipment and books
should be organized on shelves.
The result should be an open, streamlined workspace that is comfortable
and relaxing, well organized, and totally clutter-free. You'll literally feel as
well as see an almost immediate improvement in your productivity.
Extend this decluttering process to every room in your home and be
amazed as you begin to gain amazing clarity, focus, and peace of mind.
Now, when you want to get something done, you can be sure that your
brain will give it its full attention.
9. Overthinking
Highly productive people have one thing in common: the ability to take
quick action and make timely decisions.
Overthinking can become a serious obstacle to productivity if you need to
mull over every decision for hours, drown yourself in too many details,
and endlessly keep weighing the outcomes and risks. You'll often end up
more confused and uncertain than when you started.
Overthinking kills productivity in the following ways:
- It overcomplicates things.
- It leads to inaction rather than action.
- It magnifies fears and doubts.
- It's a massive time-waster
- It delays decision-making.
- It destroys your opportunity for advancing to a leadership position.
- It negatively affects and holds back people around you.
Overthinking is directly related to your inner self-talk, which is often
negative. That's why it’s called the inner critic. It's the voice that fuels your
fear of failure and taking risks. It plays on your self-confidence by telling
you that you're not skilled enough or prepared enough.
Your negative inner critic is what causes you to go off on wild tangents and
create doom and gloom scenarios that paralyze you into inaction. The
resulting hesitation and overthinking can debilitate you from taking
decisive action when it's needed. The result can be devastating in cases
where decisions need to be made quickly to mitigate losses or overcome
setbacks. You don’t need to ask how that will affect your overall
performance.
Quick fix:
Monitor your thoughts by writing them down in short bullet
points. This is the issue, this is the decision or action you need to take, this
is the information you have, and these are the potential outcomes.
This is the framework within which you need to work. When your inner
voice starts up, banish it by focusing only on the points you've written.
Practice making small decisions very quickly, almost without thinking.
For example, ordering from a restaurant menu, choosing to buy a certain
color of shoes or what to wear in the morning. This is great training for
your brain to eliminate overthinking and become faster at decision-
making.
10. Coffee & cigarette breaks
Coffee breaks have their benefits and everyone enjoys them. They allow
you to recharge your energy, stretch your legs and build rapport with
coworkers. When they get out of hand, the cons can far outweigh the pros.
In fact, 24.3% of surveyed employees admitted that cigarette and coffee
breaks are their biggest work distractions.
Studies have found that the average employee spends 5-6 minutes on
coffee and smoking breaks. Multiply that by 3-4 breaks a day, add lunch
breaks and that's a very big chunk out of the day. But the real problem is
that coffee and cigarette breaks can last longer than 5-6 minutes when
people lose track of time. Sneaking out for a cigarette can be as frequent
as every 30 minutes. What does this do for your focus and clarity?
Certainly not much!
Frequent interruptions make it difficult to pick up where you left off and
you'll need to waste more time to get comfortable, reorganize your thought
and settle down to serious work. If not taken in moderation, coffee and
cigarette breaks aren't so harmless after all!
Quick fix:
Time your breaks by using your phone alert. More
importantly, keep the number of breaks to a minimum. Remember, too
much caffeine isn't good for you and smoking kills. You'll have to rely on
sheer willpower at first but over time, you won’t have to struggle as much.
Smoke at your desk if your office policy allows it or if you work from home.
A quick disclaimer here: this book in no way, shape or form condones the
habit of smoking but realistically addresses a fact. Unfortunately, a lot of
people are smokers.
Eliminate trips to the water cooler if you can. This is another huge
timewaster that's as bad as coffee and cigarette breaks. Instead, keep a
bottle of water at hand.
Likewise, consider bringing a thermos of coffee to work on days when you
need to really focus on a certain task or project.
5 Simple Tips to Overcome
Distractions
Check out these 5 super simple tips to further equip you to avoid
distractions:
1. Plan shorter tasks or break them up
This allows you to wrap things up within a shorter timeframe while staying
focused and motivated.
With each step completed, you feel more productive and eager to start on
a new task.
2. Do a digital detox once a week
The best time to do this is on weekends. Simply unplug from all your
technology for 5-6 hours and just learn to live without it. It's just like
fasting but in this case, you abstain from the consumption of technology.
It's one of the best ways to destress and calm your brain. You can choose
to build up and over time you can digitally fast for a whole day!
This will bolster your quick fix for avoiding social media and cell phone
distractions. Over time, you'll realize something amazing: you can live
without technology - and social media!
3. Make sure you’re comfortable.
An uncomfortable position not only wreaks havoc on your posture but can
be an unconscious distraction that affects focus and concentration. Make
sure you're seated comfortably and that your back is straight. The need to
constantly fidget and change your position can really affect the quality of
your work.
Don't skimp on a good-quality chair and make sure your desk, computer
monitor, and keyboard are at the right level to prevent you from craning
your neck or bending forward. Make sure you also have room to stretch
out your legs comfortably.
4. Do brain teasers and solve puzzles
This is a fun but powerful way to boost your overall cognitive function.
Brain teasers and puzzles improve memory, critical thinking,
concentration, and mental clarity. They’re the perfect workout for
building your mental muscle!
They also train your brain to be immersed in deep thought, making you
less open to distractions.
5. Sleep well
Nothing balances and regenerates the brain and body like a good night's
sleep. In a nutshell, a well-rested brain will not only perform at its peak
but will also protect you from distractions.
Conclusion
How many of these distractions are part of your daily life? The more of
them you identify, the more you'll understand why you’re not functioning
at your peak. The quick fixes offered for each distraction will enable you
to start boosting your productivity today. Most importantly, as you
consistently practice these methods, they'll cease being quick fixes - they'll
become lasting habits.
The result is that these 10 common distractions will be permanently
banished from your life.
Living without distractions will guarantee that your days become
significantly more stress-free, peaceful, and fulfilling. This is the perfect
foundation for peak productivity and amazing success. In fact, it wouldn’t
be an exaggeration to say that eliminating distractions from your life will
enable you to achieve your personal greatness.
