Top 5 Workplace Distractions, and How to Ditch Them

Most of us spend 40 or more hours at work per week. Unless you are a robot, no one works 100% of the time. We all know that there is a difference between taking an occasional break, and trying to work while being bombarded with distractions.

Here’s how to easily avoid the top 5 workplace distractions.

  1. Email.   That little pop up that notifies you of new email can serve as quite a distraction.  If you find yourself stopping what you are doing to read emails, try and train yourself to check your email a few times a day.  Turn off your notifications, and set a timer to check your inbox every 3 hours.
  1. Phone Calls.  Let’s face it.  We all have caller ID at our desks.  Don’t be afraid to screen your phone calls until you finish what you are working on.  Let any non-urgent phone calls go to voicemail, and check and respond to messages when you are at a stopping point in your day.
  1. Stacks of Paper.  Set up a desktop filing system to prevent stacks of paper from accumulating on your desk.  Organize the papers according to urgency so that you can take care of items in order of importance.  Only put the papers for what you are working on at that moment on your desktop so that you aren’t tempted to jump from project to project.
  1. Environment.  You will accomplish more in your day if you are comfortable.  Keep a constant temperature, make sure that the lighting isn’t too bright or too dim, and minimize noisy distractions.  It’s also helpful to reduce the number of personal items that you have on your desktop.
  1. Socializing.  Whether it’s your coworker who stopped by to chat, or Facebook notifications dinging from your cell phone, socializing is one of the most common distractions.  Turn your cell phone on vibrate, and set up clear boundaries for coworkers.  Don’t be afraid to be honest.  If you are too busy to talk, politely let them know you have a deadline and you’d love to catch up at lunch.

Is your view of downtown Houston blocked by a dusty window?  That can be very distracting!  We can definitely take care of those for you!  Give us a call today! (281) 531-0544.

How do you keep work distractions to a minimum?  Leave us a comment to let us know!