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1. Find a quiet place with few distractions — like a library.
When I am at a library, I can find and keep a high degree of focus. There is nobody to distract me, and the quietness and solitude helps me to stay on task. I can fill my entire mind with the task to be accomplished, and I work much more effectively as a result.
Sometimes I work from home which also has its benefits, but I also find it is easy to get distracted. There are games on my computer, a TV, a radio, various chores that need to be done, and it is hard to maintain focus for a long period of time. If someone else is home, too, then forget it — work time is over.
There is also a psychological component to it — the home is a place of relaxation and socializing, two goals which can conflict with getting things done. A library is a place for study and concentration, which is more conducive to getting things done.
2. Limit multi-tasking.
We humans may have highly parallel brains, but we are mostly single-task creatures — we are more effective at concentrating on one task at a time.
I have never understood the hype of being an “effective multi-tasker” when trying to do several tasks at once is actually just a good way of sucking up time. Whether it be checking up on email or chatting on an instant messenger while trying to get stuff done, all of the constant context switches will simply lower your overall productivity.
Here is a very simple proof: Compare the speed of writing “a, b, c, d, e” five times in a row, versus writing the same sequence but doing all of the As first, then all of the Bs, etc…. Which series do you complete faster?
3. Limit fast-burning carb intake.
Another source of distractions can be frequent hunger pains or periodic blood sugar crashes. These happen more often when we have a high-carb diet, or when we eat a diet with lots of refined foods and sugars.
Stick to fruit, vegetables, and hearty carbs, and keep overall calories from fast-burning carbs low. Get more energy from healthy fats, which burn more slowly and are more effective for long, sustained workloads. Train your body to burn more fat instead of asking for sugar every couple of hours, and you will be able to work more effectively as well as have a healthier metabolism.
4. Set aside enough time for relaxation and downtime.
Our brains become depleted over a whole workday, especially one involving a lot of mental focus and energy. Schedule the more difficult tasks for earlier in the day, and ensure you have enough downtime in the evenings to connect with loved ones, reflect on the day, and get enough sleep to be fully prepared for the next day. Apps like F.lux help to make it easier to sleep at night.
Don’t forget about physical play and exercise — this is especially important for those of us that spend hours in front of a screen and don’t move around enough.
5. Do only one task at a time — but have many tasks to choose from.
One quick road to burnout is to do the same thing, hour after hour, and day after day. A bored and burned-out brain is an easily distracted brain. Do a variety of tasks over the workday to keep things interesting and to exercise different parts of your brain, resulting in a more balanced workload and more overall productivity and creativity.
Dear reader, what are your tips for reducing distractions and increasing productivity? I would love to hear them. 🙂
Timeboxing, specifically the Pomodoro technique.
Pick a task, set a timer for 25 minutes, work on the task until the 25 minutes are up. Then take a 5 minute break. Rinse and repeat 4 times and then take a longer break.
@John Phung You taught me something new… thanks for sharing this! 🙂
Like @John Phung you also taught me something new. I knew of the importance of breaks but did not know about the 45 minute peak. I can see it though, as well as times of the day. I know that there is a period right after eating supper where I am pretty unproductive, but my energies peak up again at night before going to sleep.
I like to follow my body’s natural rhythm. At around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, I’m exhausted. Instead of trying to work through this exhaustion, I take a nap. I wake up energized and ready to get back to work. Of course, this isn’t ideal if you wake up at 10:00 AM, but if you’re up early, a little mid day nap doesn’t hurt.
So weird, my comment was in reply to someone else but I have no idea where that comment is, now. Following your natural rhythms is really important. Unfortunately I need a full 8 hours, but I can do well if I do get it.
I find exercising can really help give you endurance for long hours at work and be more productive. When I don’t exercise, my back starts to hurt after sitting for so long and it stops me from being more focus
Hey Aaron,
I’ve noticed the same. Some exercise is especially important for office workers, who probably don’t do much else than sit on their butts (like I did) at their jobs!
Coffee is usually an important part of my focusing strategy.
Sometimes, a little bit of coffee is a lifesaver 🙂
Your take on multi-tasking is spot on. There is so much hype around the concept of multi-tasking, and yet the reality is that no one is really capable of effectively doing it. We are one-task-at-a-time creatures and do better with just one task after another. However, as you pointed out, we should also have several tasks to choose from. In my case, if all I had was just one task to work with, I would lose my mind. Having several to choose from allows me to change tasks at will throughout the day.
I remember when doing scrum training at work, we actually had an exercise that proved that multi-tasking was less efficient, at least within the constraints of the exercise. Really helped illuminate that simply feeling busy doesn’t mean you’re actually getting a lot done. 😉
I have an issue with limiting multi tasking. These days I try to block certain sites on my browser with a plugin so I can concentrate on the task at hand.
I’ve heard of this too, and think that’s a really great idea! This can help counter those “bored, let’s spend 5 minutes on Youtube” that turn into 2 hours before you know it…
Multitasking is the death of me. I always have multiple things up on my computer or going on and I agree it does destroy productivity. I should focus more…
Youtube can be a big one. P.S. Please get me out of your spam! 🙂
I absolutely need to limit distractions. I’ve found that if I turn off the email or let the phone call go to voicemail that I’ll have a much better chance of getting done the task at hand.
This is another great idea. For me, it’s the notifications on my phone or instant messaging. Sometimes I just need to sign out and focus on things at hand.
I agree with finding a place like a library. But I don’t necessarily go to a place that is quiet. I also do my best work when in the coffee cafe in Barnes & Noble. My theory is all the knowledge surrounding me channels some type of energy towards me, helping me to perform my best.
I agree, these places can be really great, too. What helps for me is having an occasional change of environment. I like to feel comfortable, but not so comfortable I start to get cabin fever.
Getting a good night sleep does wonders for my productivity. I think that sleep is one of the most underrated aspects to sucess in general, actually. Cutting sleep to get more done is counterproductive!
Also, I agree on a quiet place like a library. Much easier to get things done with less distractions. For me, a coffee shop works well, though it’s been quite a while for me.
I’ve tried to cut sleep, but I think people simply have different set points. One or two nights of 6 hours won’t affect me too much, but day after day and I make more mistakes than usual, and I’m less creative, too.
I think limiting multitasking is huge. One rule I follow at work is to check my emails once an hour on the hour – instead of dealing with each one as they pop up. That was I can focus on what I’m working on… without stopping every 5min to answer an email!
This is another great tip! That can be the worst, emails every 5 minutes, with the annoying notification in the corner. I just turn it off when I need to concentrate.
I agree with the limiting of multi tasking and the down time and was excited to read about the fast carb intake. I would have never thought of that. These are simple enough to put into action and will be effective which is huge for people – instant results kind of mentality. I do have a question though – what are your thoughts on pounding 5 hour energies though? I can honestly say they’ve helped me through some tough spots.
We’re products of our physical bodies after all! Keep the body happy and you’ll be happy. 🙂
5 hour energies, are those like Red Bull? I have no idea of the dangers of that product, but anything like that I would use in moderation. Treat them like borrowing on your CC — sometimes useful, but overdo it and you’ll be in a heap of trouble.
I love the point about not multi tasking. So many people think this is they way to be productive but in actuality it results in the reverse. Dedicating your time and focus to one task is ideal.
I like to work in a quite place too. I find the best days are when I can sit in my backyard and use my laptop. The outdoors are so peaceful.
You live in a great place. 🙂 Unfortunately we have highways here but at least I can put Youtube to “waterfalls”… not quite as good but still works. 😉
I like your last piece of advice the best – I freelance and always have multiple open projects at the same time. I never try to do more than one at a time, but I will definitely do one for 30 minutes, then switch it up and do another task for 30 minutes. It keeps my mind fresh!
Yeah, I think that can be a great way of approaching it! Break up the writer’s (or coder’s) block by switching it up.
I have to really work on #4…down time is hard for me. And I have to work with either complete silence or just a little noise in the back ground, so #1 is necessary. Great suggestions!
I also prefer to work with background noise; music makes me think about the music, which can be distracting. Depends on the music though!
As a fellow guy who isn’t the multitasking type, I definitely hear you. Lately, I have been taking a page out of Mike Heroux’s book and trying to wake up early in order to get that ideal setting for writing. It’s amazing how much difference a little time management can bring to the table eh?
Waking up early doesn’t work out too great for me, but getting enough sleep definitely does help. 😉