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How not to be distracted from work? Focus development. Learn to set the right pace for your work day. How to turn off external stimuli while reading books

Are you constantly distracted by all sorts of nonsense, and then you can’t get into a working rhythm for a long time? Let's talk about how to quickly immerse yourself in the process so that nothing gets in the way, and most importantly - there is no desire to break away from the task.

Divide a big task into smaller ones

“Sometimes you procrastinate just because you don’t know how to approach a huge mammoth. You cut it into pieces - it becomes clear how to "swallow" them. It's cool to have some kind of tool like Wunderlist to divide a big task into small ones, solve quickly, and tick off, ”advises Danil Brenner, architect of the web-development department of the System Technologies Group.

Delegate the Uninteresting

“It’s better not to do those tasks that you don’t like in advance - otherwise, very soon even the walls will seem interesting. If possible, it is better to immediately delegate such tasks to others, ”recommends Anton Borzenko, CTO CourseBurg.

If there is no opportunity to delegate, think about how solving this problem can be useful for you. Or maybe it’s worth automating the solution or optimizing something from above in order to completely miss the task?

Try Pomodoro

The method helps to concentrate better, keep the “freshness” of the mind and not be distracted by external stimuli. Classic variant Pomodoro uses:

1. Select a specific task.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and work on it all the time.
3. Take a break for 5 minutes. Return to point 1.
4. Every four such iterations, take a break for 25 minutes.

Denis Vorotnikov, lead web programmer at Mercaux Inc. emphasizes the need to completely isolate oneself from the outside world:

• put on headphones, telling colleagues to disturb only for very important issues and better in corporate chat
• disable notifications of mail, instant messengers, social networks and similar distracting programs
• fully concentrate on the task at hand, without thinking about anything but it

Difficulties arise when urgent tasks suddenly appear. “At the same time, you should not give in to panic, immediately abandon the solution of the previous problem. Try to complete it first and only then move on to the next one, ”advises Boris Shestakov, BSS practice expert at AT Consulting.

If the standard rhythm of the technique doesn't suit you, don't worry. The main thing is to adapt it so that it benefits you. “This technique helps me get into a working rhythm. When those 25 minutes are up, I most often continue on with the same task. But such a mental kick in the ass to yourself is a good thing, ”shares Danil Brenner.

Switch context

Remove all unnecessary. Probably the easier more effective advice the more often they are neglected. But this banality really works.

In addition, it is not difficult to protect yourself from irritants. For example, Windows 10 introduced many desktops that you can switch between. “I have an area where all chats hang. And when I start writing code, I don't look there. Context switching is very important,” says Danil Brenner.

Use the right soundtrack

If we are talking about music, then this is a controversial topic. Whether it will help or hinder depends on the mood, the noise around, the level of complexity of the task, and personal preferences. “I tried a lot, settled on special music for coding - Music to code by. Such good music, relaxed, it really costs money. The creator of this music says that he specially analyzed what beat should be in order for you to concentrate as much as possible. Sometimes, however, you want something more energetic, like The Offspring, ”says Danil Brenner. To increase concentration, it is also recommended to listen to music from video games.

But moderate noise is useful for immersion in the workflow and solving creative problems. There's even a Noisli app that will help you combine different sounds to create the perfect background for you.

October 24, 2008 at 09:52 pm

Business of time: how not to be distracted while working

• Freelance

Today I want to share my observations about those things that can distract us during work. I see surprised faces. Yes, it also seemed to me that this question was not significant.

But statistics show: any irritant that distracts from work takes from 3 to 10 minutes of working time. If, while working on the layout, you answer someone in icq, then attention is scattered and it will take you some time to return to your working mood.

And having 5-10 such irritants at hand, we can lose up to a couple of hours a day on unimportant things. So, how can we avoid distractions while we work?

Mail and icq

It seems to us that by responding from time to time to the messages of friends in ICQ, we do not waste time. In fact, every potential slacker from the list of contacts, who now and then throws links to photo in contact or cool video from youtube, simply steals your time.

A similar situation with mail: in TheBat settings, I specified that mail was checked every 10 minutes. Now imagine: every time 1-2 letters arrive (live notification, blog comment, newsletter, etc.). All this makes you distract from the main business and look at letters, delete unnecessary ones, reply to important ones, etc.

How to deal with this? For myself, I found a very simple solution: I installed a mail check every 60 minutes, and in icq I created a visible list, and only people in it have the right to disturb me. At critical moments, icq (like the mailer) turns off.

Surfing

I don’t know how it is now, but in the days of my youth, surfing was called traveling around the sites. Sometimes meaningful, and more often thoughtless. I opened one site, left it for another and off we go. woke up - not a plaster cast, of course, but an hour of time as if it had not happened. Familiar? Me too.

How to deal with this? especially responsible comrades, I think, have already decided this issue for themselves - just refused from visiting entertainment sites during working hours. But what to do if you refuse classmates, rutuba, ladies and teminogo zhezhe difficult?

For users of firefox, there is a great solution - LeechBlock addon, which can keep out browser to the specified sites at the right time. It is easy to turn it off, but from experience I can say that it helps to focus on work.

surrounding

In two hours of work in peace and quiet, you can manage to do more than a 6 o'clock when you get distracted every now and then. But nevertheless, there is a cat/dog, a boy/girl, children (underline) who constantly they strive to stick their nose into the monitor, invite them to drink tea, watch TV or go to the store.

If a cat invites you to go shopping, I can’t help you here, but with the rest of the points, the matter is solved quite simply: equip yourself with a workplace in the room with door, which for the time of work you can close.

If noise interferes, wear while working headphones. And it is not obligatory that Bilan will play there, the technique still reached us and we can listen to the radio. For example, I love Radio Mayak. And you?

Phone

It is not for nothing that some call it the scourge of modern society, because with a mobile phone in your pocket, everyone can get you at any time of the day and anywhere.

I think that someone will be surprised, but the phone during the day can be turned off or in extreme cases, put it on silent mode and check the missed ones every 2-3 hours and answer “I love you too” on sms to 5 different subscribers.

Again, I judge by myself - turning off the phone saves I have a lot of time. Need? Send me an email or icq. Don't need? So why call then.

Small offtopic: what the Bolsheviks talked about so much, they proved. Mobile phone really harmful to health, especially for male joys (the phone is often carried in a pants pocket) and the brain (during a conversation).

And the younger the organism, the more radiation influences it by the way. Believe my experience in one of the mobile operators.

Music

Some cannot work without a player, while others are more comfortable working in silence. I belong to the second, because during work, any sounds to me interfere, so silence is the very thing.

The only thing I can say about this is that cheerful music helps you wake up in the morning, but it’s still better to work without it. By evening, turn it on again, but something calmer. Such a scheme is likely to suit most people.

To the question "What, for example?" I can offer mixes of my friend Dj Hemul. Relaxes and does not interfere with work.

Smoke breaks

Quit smoking if you haven't already done so. And if you can't, don't justify yourself by saying that smoking relaxes you. Until they prove to me that it can calm, I don't believe.

Instead of a smoke break, it is better to do exercises, drink tea or count blondes in red outside the window.

Against smoking breaks, he says the following: for a smoke break, one usually don't go. Someone one offers, the rest agree and go together to breathe smoke and one and a half thousand chemical compounds and resins. At the same time, everyone breaks away from some business, which does not at all contribute to concentration at work.

If you really need to, then, if possible, go for smoke breaks or rest when some part of the work has already been completed and you can be distracted.

I am guided by these rules so as not to be distracted from important matters. I want to hear your advice on this topic.

PHOTO Getty Images

Thinking modern man has long been called "clip". American psychiatrist Edward Hallowell in 1994 introduced the concept of "situational attention deficit" (SADV). Here are some of its symptoms:

• inability to focus on one thing,
• frequent switching from one thing to another,
• fear of missing something important, sometimes reaching panic,
• a growing tendency to avoid all thinking and impulsive decision-making,
• feeling of wasted time at the end of the working day.

From the well-known attention deficit disorder (ADD), ADHD differs in that it is not genetically determined, but is acquired by us when wrong conditions labor and completely eliminated on vacation or on weekends. What do you need to change in your life to become more focused and do more at work? In his new book "Don't distract me" Edward Hallowell gives some practical advice.

Unload your brain

In order to learn how to concentrate on current problems, you first need to unload the brain from many other tasks that we keep in our heads all at the same time. Among them, there can be both global tasks like “compile an annual report” and small ones, for example, “buy coffee beans for a coffee machine”, “make an appointment with a doctor”, “find a good tutor for a child”. So, first of all, write down all your tasks on a piece of paper and clearly describe what and when you will do. You must completely free RAM» of your brain in order to focus on the immediate goal.

Create a Structure

Imagine what would happen to our body if we didn't have a skeleton? It would have turned into a shapeless piece of flesh. It is the same with our thoughts and goals: if they do not have a precise structure, it becomes unbearable for us. That is why it is necessary to start a diary and plan everything. When we schedule our tasks and set priorities, we get the feeling that we can control our life. Do you know what is the easiest way to create a structure? Do the cleaning. You are guaranteed to be easier to focus on your tasks if you have cleanliness and order around you.

Learn to say "no"

For those who do not know how or are afraid to refuse people, it is important to understand that with your resolute “no” you are actually doing a good deed to the petitioner. After all, if we help a person only because of the inability to refuse, then this help is unlikely to be 100% of high quality. If a colleague wants to put another extracurricular work on you, just tell him: “I will think about it” or: “I would gladly fulfill your request if I had time, but, unfortunately, the situation is developing in such a way that I cannot do it. work is of high quality and quickly.

Get rid of electronic slavery

Set aside some time in your daily routine that you will be away from electronic devices and let co-workers know when you will be unavailable. Call more often than write to people you promised to contact: live communication gives more emotions. Make a list of not-so-big things that you can't get your hands on. For example, call an old friend, open a book that you bought 7 months ago, or get to the top shelf of the cabinet and sort it out. Check this list (not your phone) whenever you have a spare minute.

Focus on the here and now

• Turn off all appliances and gadgets for the time you need to focus and think.
• Trust yourself. We are best at something when we do it the way we see fit. If you don't know what you want, just listen to your intuition and your subconscious will most likely lead you in the right direction.
• Take a break. If you feel like your thoughts are starting to get confused, stop and give yourself a break. Get up, walk around, drink a glass of water, stretch. For rest, sometimes 60 seconds can be enough.
• Take on something difficult. People concentrate as much as possible, accepting a challenge when the matter is familiar, but it forces them to exert all their strength. Quite often, the impossible suddenly turns out to be quite real.
• Ask for help. Don't take this as a sign of weakness. On the contrary, such a decision says that you still have enough strength not to get confused and try to find the right path.
• Take care of your time. One of the truest rules modern life says: if you can't manage your time properly, it will be taken away from you. Guard your time jealously. Do not give it to anyone, and do not let anyone dispose of it unless it is very necessary.

• Close your eyes. If you feel like you've lost focus, lean back in your chair and close your eyes. This simple action, surprisingly, allows you to restore clarity of vision.
• Draw a picture. Visual images free thinking. Draw a diagram, make a table, cover the page with whimsical zigzags, write down some short phrases on it or draw arrows. It is best to use colored pencils or felt-tip pens for this. It is possible that soon you will imagine exactly what you were looking for in a state of heightened concentration.
• Talk to yourself. If you suddenly missed the thread of thought and were confused, try to talk aloud about the subject you are working on. Loud speech involves in thinking new areas of the brain that are not involved in reasoning “to oneself”. Your voice will dispel the fog.
• Do what helps you. Do not think about the strategies that are commonly used. Some people work well with music or in a noisy environment. Some focus better when walking and even running. Some think better early in the morning, others late at night. Some people prefer to meditate in the cold, while others - in the Finnish sauna. Someone thinks well on an empty stomach, someone - while eating. Does not exist right ways- There are ways that are best for you.

For more tips on how to stay mindful, focused, and achieve more, read the book. "Don't distract me!".

Edward M. Hallowell - psychiatrist, world-renowned expert on ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), author of several best-selling books on The versions New York Times. Graduate of Harvard College and Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans. Founder of The Hallowell Center for Mental and Emotional Health. He worked at Harvard Medical School from 1983 to 2004 and lectures around the world on attention deficit disorder and the modern pace of life. Since the release of his book Don't Distract Me! ("Driven to Distraction") sold over a million copies in 1994.

In today's high-tech world with a high pace of life, it is increasingly difficult to focus on one thing and not be distracted. Thoughts, deeds and appliances, which are an important part of Everyday life, can become a hindrance when trying to concentrate. If it is necessary not to be distracted from the task, then you should create an atmosphere in which your attention will not be scattered around. This may require turning off the phone and many others. electronic devices, to plan work time and follow your own schedule.

Steps

How to create the right environment

Turn off your phone and other devices. If you have work to do, cleaning, writing an essay, or doing something important, then put on silent mode or turn off your phone and other devices (TV, set-top box, etc.) that may be distracting you. Modern technologies can rightfully be called a major distraction in our society, as the presence of constantly ringing, noisy and flickering devices really interferes with our concentration.

Pause the music. If you need to get down to business seriously, then work in silence and do not occupy your thoughts with anything else. Our consciousness is naturally fixated on melodies, rhythms and words. Music can inspire and speed up the passage of time, but due to the subconscious perception of the song, we limit our ability to focus, even if we ourselves do not realize it.

• Listen to music after completing a project or while doing simple mechanical tasks.

1. Select the best place for work. If you work from home or are creative, then choose a place where you feel comfortable spending a lot of time. It could be a corner table sunny room With good lighting or your favorite coffee shop. It is important to create an atmosphere in which it is easier for you to do business.

   • Beware of conditions that might dull your attention otherwise. People often associate spaces with a familiar use case, so it's not surprising to fall asleep while working in a quiet bedroom.

2. Make sure no one will distract you. Try to shield yourself from people when you need to perform important project that requires concentration. Settle in a place where you will not be disturbed by other people. For example, if you work in an office, then closed doors inform employees that you should not be distracted. Sometimes this is not possible if you have to share a room with other employees, clients or children, but at least try to cut off all non-urgent interactions.

   • Organize your duties in the most efficient and logical sequence so that you don't get distracted from the current task.
   • Try wearing headphones, even when there's nothing playing, to look busy and not in the mood for fleeting conversations.

   How to Ignore Distractions

   1. Notice when you are distracted. If you reach for your phone to read new messages or open a browser page that is not related to work, then stop such impulses in the bud. To deal with common distractions, you need to learn to notice them. Practice deliberately resisting distractions and silently repeat phrases like “focus” or “this is not the time to do this” when your attention begins to wander. Follow the course of your thoughts so as not to be distracted from reality.

      Don't hesitate. Teach yourself to get started on time. Procrastination is a major distraction. We are able to convince ourselves that it is better to complete a task when we are better prepared for it. It's important to understand this: you can't do anything unless you start right now, so don't put it off until later.

      • Procrastination is an infantile way of thinking, our attempt to avoid responsibility for the sake of momentary pleasure.
      • Research shows that people who get started right away are more successful than those who keep putting it off.

   2. Use intentional concentration. Sometimes you need to actively remind yourself of the need to focus. Often people do not know how to maintain concentration and think only about the upcoming business. Cut off all mental distractions that can divert attention to other tasks. It is not enough just to be aware of the need to concentrate; make an effort to think only about the current task.

      • You can remind yourself that The best way cope with the matter - right now direct your efforts to one point. Start seeing the process of completing a particular task from start to finish, then move on to the next task until you've completed everything for the day.

   3. Move away from the source of distractions. Try to move away from the source of distractions that weaken your mental capacity. Pack up all the things you need to work and move to a public library or a quiet cafe where you can continue to do business. Isolate yourself to literally get away from aspects that you can't ignore. If there is not enough strength to resist temptation, then sometimes you can escape.

      How to improve work efficiency

      1. Set aside specific time to work. Determine when you are productive and start planning things for those times. If you are an early riser, then do things in the morning until you lose motivation. Owls can divide responsibilities between normal working hours and free time at night when everyone else is asleep. In fact, most of us are only able to focus for a few hours a day, so make the most of that time.

         • Make it a habit to work at the same time every day.
         • If you have a non-standard or floating schedule, then let others know that you are busy.

      2. Do the most important tasks first. It is important to have a clear idea of ​​what needs to be done in order to start with the most difficult tasks. This approach allows you to cope with at least the most important cases. Prioritize wisely to get things done with minimal cost strength and time. The anxiety caused by the mountain of unfinished business will soon go away.

         Determine the minimum list of tasks for the day. Set yourself one or two goals for each day, and do not look with fear at all the work ahead. Goals should be small and achievable. Sometimes it's hard to force yourself to go outside and start building a fence around your yard if you only think about how much time, effort and money it will take. If you decide that today you need to dig holes for supports, and tomorrow you need to install them, and so on, then the task ahead will not seem so daunting.

      • Use a diary or notepad to plan your daily tasks and notice when you're most productive.
      • Set your own deadlines. For example, say to yourself, "I have to finish this project by the end of the week." Many people find it easier to force themselves to act when there is a specific deadline.
      • Watch your nutrition. Maintain the right blood sugar levels to stay alert, increase self-organization, attention to detail and get energy for the current affairs. Don't forget to have breakfast in the morning and refresh yourself every few hours with nutritious foods and a variety of snacks.
      • Learn to change priorities if you have a lot of things to do.
      • Reward yourself for projects completed and goals achieved.
      • Do not forget that the tendency to get distracted to the sides depends on your level of mental concentration.

      Warnings

      • Distractions are always present. Learn to ignore them, otherwise you will never be up to the task ahead.
      • It is not always possible to turn off electronic devices. If you need to always answer calls, use a tablet or computer, you should work on personal discipline to use devices for their intended purpose.

How not to be distracted from work? Focus Development Reviewed by Vladislav Chelpachenko on Aug 15 Rating: 5.0

Hello dear colleagues and friends!

Have you ever been distracted from your work and immersed in social media for half an hour? Or maybe some person called you and interrupted your productive work, and then you blamed him for losing inspiration?

Today I will talk about developing focus, which will help you to be as productive as possible in your work and not be distracted.

Why do we get distracted and how to deal with it?

IN modern world a person faced such a problem as a loss of concentration at work. People are constantly distracted by little things: SMS, social networks, news, push notifications, and so on. Many do not know how to properly manage their time, lack motivation or strength. All this prevents us from achieving our goals. We have already discussed and for performance management. Today I will talk about how not to be distracted from business and learn to focus on what you are doing.

First, let's look at the reasons for the loss of concentration. It is only one - a huge amount of incoming information. It pours from everywhere, and we are often unable to cope with it. You can be distracted by a teaser ad about “a supernova natural supplement that will reduce your weight by 30kg in 1 day ...”, and by clicking on it, you forget the information received after 5 minutes. Ultimately, it's a waste of time. Anything could happen.

Such time eaters are called chronophages. These include distracting objects:

• Postponing - constantly leaving for tomorrow what you can do today. As a result, you accumulate a lot of things that you did not dare to do.
• Fuzzy goal setting. I like to give an analogy with a ship: if you do not know where to sail, then the sea controls you, and sooner or later it will break you against the rocks. But if you sail to a certain place in your life, you can weather any storm and successfully get out of it. If you have not set your goal yet, then read the article on how, and also take a look.
• Inability to say no. If you can't do that, you'll be wasting your time pursuing other people's goals, not your own.
• Inability to properly plan your day/week/month/year. The plan is a map for your ship.
• Poor time and task management. Many methodologies and tools have already been created for this, for example.
• Delegation and automation. A very important skill for an entrepreneur, without which it is impossible to develop your business. and - these are the most important tasks for the growth of your business.
• Calls, SMS, meetings or social networks that distract from the main affairs and do not lead to the achievement of your goal. Set aside separate time for such things, do each thing in its own time.

And this is not the whole list, I gave only the main ones. Write in the comments what kind of chronophages you meet and how you fight them.

Focus training or how not to be distracted from business?

You may have noticed that there are quite a lot of chronophages and we deal with almost all of them every day. Fighting each of them will result in energy loss, so we will choose another way. I suggest that you learn to focus so that you will be less dependent on chronophages and will be able to deal with them more easily in the ways described above. So, methods for developing focus:

• Explosion work. If you've ever trained for a running race, you've likely heard of the term. It means that you run very fast for 1 minute, and then again at a normal pace, and thus alternate for a certain time. Try also to work, work hard for at least a minute at the limit of your strength. Further, this interval will increase, and with it your productivity.
• Change of activity. One of the most effective focus enhancing tools. If you are writing an article, then when you feel tired, take a walk, squat or do push-ups.
• Regular exercise. I already talked about this habit in the article. Be sure to check out this article.
• Shutdown method. If you feel that you are tired of your work, then do not grab your phone right away and do not climb into the social network. Just walk around, look out the window and in a couple of minutes get back to business.

Practice your focus and be productive. Share the article if it was useful to you and subscribe to the blog. Write in the comments how you train focus and what chronophages you meet. Good luck!