If you’ve made the decision to start a business from home or work as a freelancer, you know the benefits that come with it. You have a sense of independence, more flexibility, and a greater sense of accomplishment. But at the same time, you’re aware of its challenges. One of these challenges is facing a constant stream of distractions on a daily basis.
In today’s world, almost anything can steal your attention. Social media notifications, text messages, online ads, and more. Your own thoughts can also distract you from important work. Thoughts about the past, doubts, and even crazy business ideas.
How do you fix distractions? Here are 7 tips that will help you focus more at work regardless of where you are – in your home, at an office, or co-working space.
1. Be in good health.
First things first: Take good care of your body. It’s easy to get distracted if your mind and body are tired due to a lack of sleep. You’re likely to tune into entertaining stuff on the internet because you’re too exhausted to focus. Get quality sleep, exercise, and eat foods that actually nourish your body.
2. Decide that you’re going to win today.
Achieving any goal starts with a decision. As you wake up in the morning, make that deliberate choice that you’re going to do your best to make your day as productive as possible. If anything tries to distract you, tell yourself in advance that you’re going to get back on track right away.
3. Wear noise-cancelling headphones.
Noise can be a distraction, and noise is common in crowded places like coffee shops. When you work in a public setting, make sure that you bring noise-cancelling headphones. These headphones are especially useful for tasks that require intense focus.
4. Turn off all notifications.
Check work and personal notifications when it’s time to deal with them, and not when you just feel like doing so. If you do this, you’re able to put all your focus on one task at a time. It reduces chaos in your thinking!
5. Always expect the best.
Yesterday was done. Today is a new day to accomplish your goals. Therefore, it won’t do you any good to dwell on what did not happen or could have happened in the past. Spend each moment of today to expect good things. Remember: Good thinking creates positive actions. Positive actions create great results.
6. Set expectations.
If you work from home and have a family, it helps a lot to let them know that you will be on “focus mode” from 9 am to 12 noon (or whatever your work schedule is). Tell them that you won’t be available to respond to every request unless it’s an emergency. If you have kids, ask for a family member to watch over them or hire help.
7. Take mental breaks.
It’s impossible to stay focused throughout the day and not take breaks. The brain needs frequent breaks so that it can revitalize and renew. Every 30-45 minutes, let your brain rest. You can take a light brain-boosting snack, stand up and walk around your house, hit the treadmill for 15 minutes, or simply do nothing and think of nothing.
These are simple ways to limit distractions. Make self-care a priority. Dwell on good thoughts and decide that you will conquer the day. Kindly tell people around you that you’re on focus mode. If you do these, I believe you’ll see a huge difference in your productivity.
