How to Stay Focused at Work

Staying focused at work is usually challenging due to several distractions that we face daily: colleagues chatting, consistent incoming phone calls, social media distractions, WhatsApp chats and BBM pinging etc.

The following are practical ways to shun distractions and rather stay focused at work:

• Prioritize the tasks: Often times, the first few hours at work is where most people are productive since their energies are yet to be spent. It is helpful to schedule all the challenging tasks on your agenda to the first hour. This approach makes you stay focused at work, follow these with the less demanding work, and then end with those routine tasks that you find boring.

• Do smaller tasks: Overtime, Psychologists have suggested that our brain works extremely hard to process incredible amounts of information. Hence, working on one large project can be overwhelming. A typical example is trying to rush a whole event at work in one afternoon. It is good to split up projects into individual tasks so they are easier and more convenient to accomplish.

• Wear earphones: Having your earphones in your ear is a visible sign that you are listening to something and not available for distractions and petty chats during work.  Though, you may not necessarily be listening to music but through this approach you will be able to deter distractions at work and stay focused. This is a fantastic way to show you are working on something important and don’t have time to engage in chat.

• Time management is key: This is very important, your ‘to-do-list’ and action plans will help you to be focused. Avoid being distracted by the following; social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn), BBM chats, Skyping, SMS, unnecessary phone calls. Be committed to shun these distractions in order to stay focused and productive at work.

• Be interested and passionate about your work: One of the best ways to be focused and productive at work is to truly enjoy your work and be passionate about it. Then your work becomes fun to you and not a mundane, boring task. You can be focused and also derive interest in the work you do by setting your mind on the big picture.

• Endeavour to take short breaks: Sitting for long hours have adverse effect on human health. It is good to take short breaks periodically during the day in order to stretch yourself and relax your nerves. This will refresh your mind and allow you to stay focused better. It isn’t ideal to get to the office early, work through lunch and stay late, this can eventually cause weariness and overburden you.