The workday can sometimes be a challenge to get through. Whether we’re thinking about our weekend plans or our kid’s school event that evening, distractions are constantly hitting us. However, our professional career growth is often reflective of how efficient we are. To that end, we all need to stay focused at work. That’s why we’ve put together our top six tips for doing just that. A lack of focus can lead to missed deadlines, added stress, overtime, and other less-than-desirable outcomes.
After all, when you stay focused at work, it helps you save time too. These six tips are meant to help you make the most of your day so that you have more time for what matters the most to you!
Take a self-evaluation
Before you can begin to implement any of the upcoming tips we’ll be sharing today, you need to do a little self-evaluation. Why?
Well, just as everyone learns differently, they also work differently. Your co-workers’ ideal productivity set-up may be vastly different than yours. Does this mean that either system is more or less efficient than the other?
To find out, start by tracking your day. Discretely compare your productivity to your co-workers. This is not about competition — we want to make that clear. Rather, it’s so that you have a bar to compare yourself to. If your job is to produce at least 10 widgets per day (with widgets being any kind of professional output), your co-workers knock out 15, and you only hit 7, this is a sign that something isn’t working.
Take online tests to find out your work style, your business personality, and your learning style to get a broad picture of what makes you…well, you!
And finally, ask for input from others. Crowd-sourcing opinions from your coworkers or friends can aid you in narrowing down what type of obstacles you may be facing with your current workload.
Plan your time
Our second tip involves time. Spontaneity is fun, there’s no doubt about that. But when you have multiple projects going on at the same time, it can cause added stress and lowered productivity.
So, at the beginning of the week (or even the end of the previous week), take some time to look at everything that needs to be done. Check your calendar for previously scheduled meetings, conferences, or time off. Then, fit your work requirements around those existing appointments so there aren’t any surprises.
Find the method that works best for you: hourly schedules, prioritized lists, or another option. Some find that they work best in 90-minute, fully-dedicated batches with a five or ten-minute break to follow. If that’s how you feel too, then schedule those times into your calendar.
And as a bonus tip here, make your calendar available to your co-workers. This will let them know if you’re in the middle of a planned sprint or if you have time for a quick chat.
Create a to-do list and set deadlines
Whether you use a built-in app on your phone or old-fashioned paper and pen, create lists with deadlines. Writing down what you have to accomplish (again, whether digitally or physically) can be an eye-opening experience. It helps you to stay focused at work as you can visually see exactly what you need to get done and when it’s due.
Some find that a combination of both is helpful, using a physical list as a starting point and an electronic version as a double-check. Either way, if you need to stay focused at work, lists are the way to go!
Play some music – selectively, that is!
Many people find that listening to music, typically instrumental or ambient sounds can help with focus. We wouldn’t recommend listening to your favorite genre as you’ll be more inclined to sing along and that negates the purpose of this tip.
Instead, there are dedicated online playlists for deep focus. Often, those lack any type of lyrical component. It may feel slightly odd at first to not hear any vocals, but once you get into the ambiance of the music, it’s an excellent way to stay focused at work.
Limit distractions
If the previously mentioned tip would be helpful for you, consider using noise-canceling headphones as an extra step. Each distraction can break your concentration and works against your goal of staying focused at work. Noise-canceling headphones are a great way to tune out what’s going on around you.
Next, keep your cell phone out of sight and turn off social media notifications during the workday. If you have an iOS device, there is a built-in feature called “Focus.” This will turn off distracting apps, websites, and notifications and help you better stay focused at work. When your time for that focus is over, just tap a button and your phone’s functionality returns to normal.
Utilize productivity tools
Finally, one great way to stay focused at work is by utilizing productivity tools. There are numerous options to choose from, including online portals such as Slack, Asana, and ClickUp.
Remember our note about making your calendar available to your co-workers. That’s where Google Calendar comes in.
In other words, collaboration can help you stay focused at work by making you accountable to others.
Bonus tip: go outside and take a walk
Fresh air. Beautifully manicured lawns. Picture-perfect nature.
Do those things sound like a great way to reset your mind? Going for a walk and taking in the sights and sounds around you — especially when you can tell that the lawn is being taken care of by Sun Power Lawn Care — is an excellent way to stay focused at work. There’s something therapeutic about being in nature, beyond the obvious Vitamin D benefits of the sun. A neighborhood or office park that we maintain will always be ultra quiet, so you won’t need to worry about the loud sounds distracting you during a walk.
Better yet, if you’re a work-from-home employee, knowing that our company is taking care of your lawn for you is an excellent way to stay focused at work while we stay focused on your lawn care.
Knowing you have to mow the lawn when you get home is a big distraction at work. When you work with a lawn care service provider such as Sun Power Lawn Care, we’ll take care of your yard while you take control of your career.
Would you like a free quote for our services? Then click here to send us your info or call our sales team at 352-507-5296, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm!
Here are some great resources to help your lawn look its best:
