Three Ways to Boost Your Focus and Efficiency at Work

Trying to stay focused, I dive into a pile of papers on my desk of possibilities….

4 causes of Zoom Fatigue and their fixes – Nah

23 Minutes to Recover From a Distraction at Work?

Holy cow!

Unable to refrain myself from the train wreck that I’m about to witness, I’m drawn into it helplessly.

A UC Irvine study showed that just one interruption could take up to 23 minutes to get back to a task.

Then how do educators stay on point? Question for another day…

Desperately wanting to know more, I scoured the Internet to find the article.

First of all, who were the subjects in the study?

There were 48 subjects with a mean average of 26 who majored in STEM-related degrees.

What were the results?

Conclusion: “people compensate for interruptions by working faster,” but with a price.

The result produces more stress, high frustration, time pressure, and effort.

Reflecting on this article and the original from Inc, I thought to myself, how can we be smarter, more efficient, so we’re not distracted?

(Oh, look – Squirrel!)

Doing the obvious such as cutting off the phone, checking emails periodically help. But to become more efficient, there are three key questions you have to ask yourself:

• What can you automate so you don’t have to do that process consistently?
• When is the best time of day you work? You focus better?
• How consistent can you be in keeping your schedule?

Answering these three questions unlocks you to a level where engagement is higher, and your work is more productive.

Let’s face it; distractions are a part of life.

But it’s the self-discipline we must have if we will to remain efficient.

Otherwise, expect the onslaught of stress and frustration to be the next train wreck in your life.

So how distracted do you get when you do your work?

Make it a great day or not; the choice is yours.