How to Kill Distractions — 7 Easy Tips
December 10, 2007
Are you a hardworking lad, but get exhausted before completing a task? Before you think it's a chink in your armor — take a look at your distractions. They're eating up all your energy!
You can chuck off interruptions and still be a social butterfly.
Try these seven tried and tested tricks to kill distractions. You'll be done with work faster — and will have more time for play.
 — Chuck off interruptions
1. Put your cell phone on silent mode
Your most loved gadget is also the most distracting. It's got to remain silent if you want to concentrate on work. Take it out only during breaks to resume your socializing spree.
2. Wear noise-cancellation headphones
Your ears have radar that's on the lookout for gossip 24/7. Noise-cancellation headphones are a great way to block out distractions. Get really big ones so they just scream "Don't disturb me!".
3. Check email three times a day
Check it in the morning, at the end of the day, and once in the middle. That's it! Tell everyone about it so they'll know when to expect a reply from you.
Turn off those pesky automatic email alerts — they shoot your curiosity level through the roof. Manually check emails instead.
4. Schedule Instant Messaging hours
You can't rule out IM because it does have collaboration benefits. But it's far too easy to spend your whole day chatting with a friend. Solution: schedule IM hours towards the end of the day.
5. Get to office early
Don't like to be the first one there? Neither do your colleagues — use this to your advantage! You'll get more work done during that time — the gossip mongers haven't arrived yet.
6. Tidy up your desktop
Arrange your files in folders so they don't scream at you for attention — all at the same time. Out of sight, out of mind! Write a checklist on paper for what's left to do on your plate.
7. Eat lunch outside the office
You're killing distractions at work, then why get interrupted in your personal time either? If you eat in the office, you could get pulled into meetings. Relish your lunch hour away from work.
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