How is your work day really going? Are you meeting your goals and growing your company, or are you consistently wishing that every day had a few more hours in it to meet your schedule demands. We get it – the more responsibility you have, the more people are hounding you with questions and requirements, and the more you are worrying about everything happening around you (this is triple-true for home offices, where distractions tend to be more common).
What you need is a better was to focus on the task right in front of you. So cut out the chaff, cut down on the ADHD, and stop procrastinating with these effective, high-tech focus solutions.
1. Wear Over-Ear Headphones
You’ve probably already tried headphones as a solution before. Many headphones suffer from the same troubles: The music can be too distracting, or you can still hear everything through them, so your distraction level remains about the same. Part of the key is finding the right kind of headphones: We highly suggest researching the best over-ear headphones options and look for those that provide some type of noise cancellation. Active noise cancellation is the best, because this diminishes many external sounds, and the noise cancellation can be activated even without turning on music. We recommend the Bose QuietComfort series, or for something more affordable, Plantronics BackBeat Pro.
To that end, opt for music that doesn’t include vocals, such as classical or even movie scores (a personal favorite). Alternatively, you can try Brain.fm, which offers what is supposed to be audio designed to optimize your concentration.
2. Find Productivity Extensions That Help Manage Your Time and Focus
What does your browser look like? Do you have a few choice extensions working to keep you focused and make you more productive? If not, it’s time to take a look. Both Firefox and Chrome have an extensive list of extensions ready to help out. Literally hundreds of extensions and add-ons can help you, but we suggest exploring a few of the most effective, including the mobile manager Pushbullet that keeps your phone out of sight, the focus tool LeechBlock, and the Facebook solution Social Fixer to start out with.
3. Use To-Do List Apps
If you haven’t already started using a to-do list app, we highly suggest it. Today’s options for these listmakers are varied and include welcome features like automatic syncing between devices and more. Evernote is always popular, but may contain too many features for you, depending on your needs. Wunderlist gets a lot of attention and also has accompanying extensions you can use to enhance your browser work. If you already have a to-do list app, we suggest using the simple timer on your phone for another advantage: Taking breaks every hour. There’s a reason you’re encouraged to take breaks in the corporate world – it really does improve productivity.
4. Change Your Desk
You may be surprised just how important your desk is when it comes to helping you tune out distractions and get things done. A clean desk free of any immediate distractions will keep you busy and thinking clearly. Work desks come with cable holders, built-in phone charge stations, and even whiteboard space for sketching out ideas…there’s a lot of possibility out there. If you are interested in health benefits and like the idea of moving around, take a look at top standing desks to find one that works for you.
5. Separate Accounts
If you find that you are distracted more by your personal life than by your officemates, we suggest using two different email and social media accounts: One for business, and one for everything else. If you already have an email in the company name, this step may be very easy for you – just make sure that the separation of home and office continues throughout your online work.
This article is brought to you as part of a syndication partnership with Gadget Review.
