Hacks That Will Improve Your Focus at Work

As a professional, your focus at work suffers because of the many competing demands on our time. Your supervisors, colleagues, emails and phone calls are all vying for your attention. But you don’t have to work like that. 

There are few simple changes you can start implementing that will make significant differences to your focus and productivity.

1. Block Time. Create a schedule by blocking out time for key tasks that will give you a simple plan of your day and help you achieve more. This will allow you to move from one task to the next without having to stop and decide what to do next. Be flexible, of course, as sometimes things change.
2. Clean Workspace. Keeping a clean and tidy workspace will help clear your mental clutter. Fewer distractions and let’s not have desk-cleaning-procrastination. At the end of each day, clean up your desk, remove all the unwanted distractions, and set up for the next day.
3. Remove Distractions. This means is for you to turn your phone to silent, stop notifications, and keep unnecessary tabs closed on your computer when you need to be focussed. Technology is fantastic, but it can also be a major distraction throughout our workday. 
4. Do Not Disturb. Put on your headphones, or whatever it is you need to do to minimise distractions from others (unless it is really important). Letting others know that you’re working and prefer not to be disturbed will give you time to focus on your work and is a polite way of saying, “I’m happy to help but talk to me later.”
5. Leverage Habits. We all have habits that dictate when we are most, and least, productive. Pay attention to your habits and use them to your advantage. If morning is your most productive time of the day, then that is the best time to shut your door and work on the big, hard tasks of the day. If you know that you always hit a wall right before lunch, use that time to clean up your desk or take a stroll to re-energise.

Finding your work groove can be challenging; however, taking the time to make small steps in the right direction will allow you to create a workday that is productive and meaningful.

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