9+ Proven Ways To Beat Distraction at Work and in Your Personal Life
Why are you distracted all the time?
Who you are is a result of who you were, but where you end up depends entirely on who you choose to be from this moment forward. -Hal Elrod
It’s a fact that most people are distracted right now.
People are distracted when they are with friends.
People are distracted when they are with the family.
People are distracted when they are working.
People are distracted…
Here are some proven ways I have been practicing for years to beat distraction. Let’s dive into the learning part.
Declutter your mobile home screen.
Here are a couple of things you can do to declutter your phone’s home screen that will help you to boost your productivity.
- Just remove the apps from the home screen which you don’t use often
- Group similar apps — for example, I keep all the social media apps in one group and call it “ I’m connected.”
- Just delete unused apps
- Please keep it simple
- I don’t use any wallpaper — just plain black background
- Monthly reorganize the stuff
- Time limit on apps to save more time
Pro tip 1: If you spend too much time on your phone, give the password to your friend/family and tell them don’t tell you — trust you will thank me later on this one.
Pro tip 2: If you are spending too much time on your phone and would like to get back some time, here is a pro tip.
I know it seems simple, but trust it will work.
Get rid of all the red color badges and notifications on each app. The red color is highly visible and grabs your attention right away.
Maintain your glucose level
We all know that blood sugar level tremendously impacts your energy, mood, and overall health.
For example, after eating a bunch of candies, you will fly for a few minutes. Then you crash!
Here are a couple of signs that your blood sugar level is off.
- Feeling tired
- Always craving carbs
- No focus
- Mood swings
- peeing a lot
- Vision blurred
- Headache
Note: If you have a couple of symptoms (above mentioned), it’s time to see your doctor, then come back and read this article. I am not a medical expert, but sharing what works for me regularly. Thanks
Here are some things you can do to maintain a healthy glucose level throughout the day.
- Consume whole foods, and try your best to avoid processed foods.
- Make sure to eat a lot of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.
- Consume good protein
- Avoid consuming heavy meals after 6 PM.
- Sleep for at least 8 hours.
- Drink 3+ liters of water daily.
- Exercise regularly
- I only take one supplement, which is magnesium. Magnesium is important for maintaining a healthy sugar level and improving insulin sensitivity.
- Here is the brand I use: Nature’s Bounty Magnesium, 500mg — One tab per day.
Find your max energy period
We all work differently and have a zone where we are most productive.
For example, I am super productive as soon as I am up. In that 2–3 hours window, I am pretty much done with the most complicated task.
- Find your precious period.
- Make sure to schedule the most challenging thing for that period.
Use Pomodoro technique
I am a huge fan of working in intervals. I used to work in 50 minutes intervals. However, in 2023, I made a goal to work for 25 minutes followed by a 5 minutes break.
I use this little digital countdown timer which is roughly $15. One of the best electronic gadgets I have bought, it boosted my life to the next level. Here is the timer if you would like to give it a try.
Restrict information to max 3 sources.
I used to consume a lot of junk, which we call social media. I still consume it as it’s a part of life, but I am more mindful.
I have three primary sources for information: Twitter, WhatsApp, and Emails (Newsletters from my favorite creators)
Tip: I even scheduled time for these sources.
Setup distraction time
Two words: Super Important
I use distraction time to spend with pets, family, and friends. If you see it that way, it’s not a distraction time but a quality one.
Distraction time is super important for my mental health.
Keep a journal for distracting thoughts.
Great idea; I highly recommend keeping a journal to document your life journey.
I use a journal to write down all my thoughts; sometimes, those thoughts bring some tangible ideas.
Now it’s up to you to keep a physical or digital journal. I used to have a physical one, but now I prefer a digital one because of its portability factor.
Two-minute rule
If anything can be done in 2 minutes that needs to be done — do it right away. That’s all I would say!
Maintain a solid morning routine.
Winning the morning sets your day mood to win the day. It’s actually one of the greatest hacks to reduce distraction.
Make sure to schedule your day right before going to bed. Therefore, as soon as you are up, you know what you are going to handle that day.
The bottom line
By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination. — Christopher Columbus
I gave examples of what worked for me. But first, you must try everything to see what will work for you.
You don’t need to copy what I said but see if, with a bit of twist, things work out for you.
Let me recall the article:
Declutter your phone
Maintain your glucose level
Find your max energy period
Use Pomo dore technique
Restrict information to max three sources
Setup distraction time
Keep a journal for distracting thoughts
Two-minute rule
Maintain a solid routine
Book recommendation: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (Amazon affiliate link)
Note: I never recommend a book I don’t like, own, or haven’t read.
Thank you for reading; follow me and clap a couple of times. Thanks
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