Regardless of what you do for a living, the impact of workplace distractions on productivity is staggering. This is especially true in our constantly growing digital world, where more and more people are working online, turning online distractions into a staple of the day. Of course, online disruptions are not relegated to the workforce, as nearly half of the worldwide student population has reported being distracted by technology, according to Inside Higher Ed. Nevertheless, whether working toward your future or working to pay the bills, our fast-paced world of emails and instant messages has resulted in a significant drop in focus. For this reason, we have compiled several keys to overcoming workplace distractions.
According to the American Institute of Stress, continuous distractions at work not only make employees less productive but also contribute to significant restlessness and stress. Reports show that a lack of focus sits at the heart of workplace stress, making a distraction-free work environment essential for our health and overall happiness. In what ways can we limit workplace distractions and improve our ability to be more productive and emotionally sound? To answer this question accurately, we need to look at the most common offenders.
Identifying Common Offenders and Strategies for Improvement
The online world is filled with billions of attractive websites, from online shopping and games to immersive stories that may even be part of your research and work duties. Here, the first step is acknowledging which websites are necessary for optimal productivity. For most people, online shopping and gaming websites are far from essential and are, in fact, two of the leading online workplace distractions. So, learning how to block a website, even if only temporarily, is a significant key to eliminating temptation.
Still, while blocking certain websites can free you from distractions, there are many other sources of interruption throughout our day. One of the most common online workplace distractions is email. Of course, most of us who work online need to periodically check our emails to do our jobs. Blocking your email is likely not practical. The key here is to check your email in batches as opposed to sporadically peeking through them multiple times per day. Quickly checking your inbox can actually result in anywhere up to a 40% loss in productivity. The same goes for social media, instant messages, and texts.
While the following tip may seem obvious to some or not a problem to others, it is a source of serious interruption for many. This regards situations in which, for example, you leave a daily meeting unclear on the next steps. Rather than needing a second meeting to discuss the first meeting, the key is to ensure you have clearly assigned responsibilities following the first one. Getting into the habit of asking follow-up questions or taking proactive steps during the initial discussion can save you hours.
These three simple keys are nowhere near an exhaustive list of ways to prevent online workplace distractions. However, making these minor adjustments to your routine and daily activities can have a profound effect on your productivity levels and overall well-being. You can take many other steps, such as employing do-not-disturb tactics, finding a quiet place to work free of other people who may cause outside distractions, and even using airplane mode on your phone to limit text messages and calls throughout various times of the day. Nevertheless, if you stay aware that falling victim to accessible disruptions is part of human nature and consciously decide to employ these methods, you can, indeed, free yourself of workplace distractions.
Published by: Nelly Chavez
