Are you easily distracted? Try these tips to keep you focused!

​How many times are you distracted in the average day?

It could be social media notifications, the phone ringing, someone at the door, Skype messages or emails - all of these things can distract you, forcing your attention away from working on your business.

Small distractions can lead to big problems, causing you to lose your focus on the task at hand and destroying the sense of ‘flow’ that you had going. If continued, it can severely hinder your daily productivity.
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Here a few tips to help you cut the distractions, stay focused and get more out of your day! 

• Don’t be afraid to jump to another task if you’re struggling to make progress on the task at hand. Switching to a smaller, easier task can help to clear your mind, renew your sense of accomplishment and give you the perspective you need to tackle that more difficult task anew.

• Make a plan. Your plan should include long and short-term goals but should also detail each task that you need to work on to reach your goal. Log the task and schedule it in to keep yourself accountable. Remember to check it off your list once finished for a renewed sense of achievement.

• Is there anything on your list that you can outsource? If you have too much to do and not enough time, consider outsourcing or delegating some of the more time-consuming tasks, leaving you free to focus on the tasks that only you can do.

• Minimise your distractions. If you need to concentrate without interruption, alter your environment to suit your needs. Choose a quiet space with minimal noise and chances of being disturbed. Turn off your social media notifications and your phone, if you don’t need to use the internet for a particular task, turn off your Wi-Fi.

• Working in short bursts and taking regular breaks has been proven to improve productivity and mindset. Focusing is easier to do over short periods of time and taking short breaks (preferably in fresh air) will help clear your mind ready for the next task.

• Looking after yourself is crucial. If you’re sleep deprived, you won’t be able to focus. If you’re hopped up on caffeine, you won’t be able to focus. Try to include just 20 minutes of physical activity into your day to help keep your mind focused and to make it easier for you to get a good night’s sleep.

• Limit your access to social media. It’s easy to while away hours creating posts, interacting with other users and responding to direct messages. If updating your professional social media is part of your day, set aside a short block of time just for this. Just 10-20 minutes in the morning and afternoon should be enough. After that, turn it off and avoid checking your profiles while you concentrate on more important things. Using apps like Buffer and Hootsuite to schedule posts in advance can help to reduce the time you spend daily on social media.

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• Utilise the power of music, or silence to help you concentrate. Noise cancelling headphones can work wonders for people who prefer working in complete silence without any distractions, whilst others benefit from the productivity boost that listening to different types of music can provide.

What tools or methods do you use to help you focus? Share your tips in the comments!