Eliminating Distractions 101

by Phil Pallen

I like to think that I’m a productive person. I imagine that when I crack open my laptop I’m a machine for hours on end. But one thing always leads to another and more often than not I’ve clicked on a link and end up down an Internet rabbit hole. And thus, my illusion of immaculate productivity is shattered.

You know what I’m talking about. Productivity is hard when you work from a computer. Distractions are everywhere. And when you’re next to a friend who pulls out a phone, forget about it. From news articles, Facebook posts, Instagram scrolls, and Buzzfeed quizzes, there seems to be no end to the distractions off and online.

As someone whose job takes me around the world on a weekly basis, I’ve had to learn how to switch gears from vacation to workaholic. Here are my tips for cutting out the buzz and just getting work done:

Find your distractions

Like anything, the first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one. So to get your productivity in order, you have to find the root of your distractions. For me, that was communicating on Facebook Messenger. I’m absolutely addicted to Facebook (who isn’t?) and am currently trying to wean myself off. The first step was deleting Facebook and Messenger from my phone. L’horreur!

Schedule in your fun time

By acknowledging that Facebook was a huge distraction in my work day, I have made an active effort to stay off of it. But let’s be honest – that’s really dang hard. Just like a fad diet, depriving yourself doesn’t do any good in the end. That’s why I schedule time in for “chitty,” which is my name for browsing and chatting time. I schedule it in so I don’t risk derailing my day.

Create your ideal workspace

My desk and workspace can be different on any given day, which has its challenges. Whether it is a coffeeshop in Stockholm or my office in Santa Monica, having a workspace that’s organized and free of distractions is key. That could mean listening to music or having zero spare papers on your desk.

Keep your daily tasks organized

With emails coming in and out and juggling countless projects at once, a major distraction for me is switching to a different project. While multitasking is great for some, it more often sidetracks a current project. That’s why it’s essential to block out time for a specific project and get it done. That way you can check it off of your list and move onto the next.

How do you eliminate distractions and amp up your productivity?