Understanding Distractions And Finding The Tools To Eliminate Them

Think of the last time you spent eight uninterrupted hours completing every item on your to-do list and left the office feeling like not a single moment was wasted, even if you were a little tired.

Can you think of anything? Or, as is apt to happen, did something come up that derailed your train of thought and required that you shift your attention?

(It’s probably the latter.)

Distractions are an experience that is painfully common in every industry and at every level of the corporate ladder. More unfortunately, these unnecessary disturbances, something 53% of workers spend more than an hour each day on, are often the source of dropped deadlines, lost contracts, and workplace strife.

While distractions aren’t completely avoidable, it is possible to mitigate their impact.

The Impact of Distractions

Distractions are just part of the average workday and, despite being unpleasant and often frustrating, they are something to be expected. Right?

Wrong.

The average business wastes roughly $10,375 for each worker on an annual basis. That’s $4,000 more than the average American consumer spent on food in 2012. For startups and micro-firms who tend to run lean and with little extra capital, this can be the difference between staying afloat and going under – something that happens to nearly three quarters of new companies.

Distractions don’t just impact a firm’s bottom line. They are also extremely painful for companies who depend on their employees for creative thinking and problem solving. The interruptions that occur throughout the day disrupt the creative process and render employees nearly useless as they become continually most frustrated and are forced to work longer, less fruitful hours.

Common Workplace Distractions

Interruptions can come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from dwelling on personal crises to technical difficulties, some disturbances are considerably more prevalent than others.

According to a survey conducted by AtTask, a resource management firm, more than 250 marketing professionals cited unproductive meetings, random requests, and overflowing inboxes as a few of the most common causes for wasted time. Other chief factors were long approval processes and inaccurate reporting.

These problems aren’t just issues in the marketing field; however, as professionals across all industries cite the same issues when describing what is frustrating and unproductive throughout their workdays.

Conveniently, as technology improves, many applications and web tools have been developed to combat the most common sources of workplace distractions. Any tool workers begin to use should be free (or have a free version), easy-to-use, and should require little to no maintenance. Should a tool not meet those three requirements, it’s probably best to refrain from using it as it will waste almost as much time and money as it saves.

Tools Designed to Help Eliminate Distractions

Figuring out how to fight back again workplace distractions by using new tools may seem like a distraction in and of itself; however, every minute spent in implementation will surely result in time saved down the road.

1. Self Control

SelfControl is a tool used to help fight the most common distraction found on the Internet:  the Internet. This tool allows users to block websites (for instance, Facebook or Reddit) that can suck huge portions of the workday. These blackout periods can be set for up to four hours. During these periods your Internet browser will not allow you to navigate to the specified sites, despite how often you restart your computer or refresh your browser.

2. Mailbox

Designed for Gmail, though it has since expanded, Mailbox helps users schedule when to respond to emails; for instance, users will be able to have the email reappear over the weekend when their inbox is nearly empty.

3.  Focus@Will

While it’s not entirely possible to eliminate all distractions that would divert your attention from whatever task is at hand, it is possible to use music to help you stay on task. Focus@Will uses neuroscience to create music playlists that can dramatically increase your attention span, helping ensure that the time between distractions is more fruitful than if you were skimming through SoundCloud or listening to your most beloved albums.

4. Trello

Meetings, the most commonly cited source of distraction and a common frustration for almost everyone in attendance, are often the best way to get everyone on the same page when doing a project. While they can’t be completely eliminated, tools like Trello, an app that helps project teams collaborate and share a to-do list, can help reduce the number that are necessary. When using Trello, it’s much easier to keep everyone on the same page so every team member know what has and has not been completed in real time. This tool also helps eliminate going over redundant information as it ensure the progress to goal is very public.

5.  Timeout

Most distractions are a result of additional tasks and divided attention; however, productivity can also drop dramatically if you do not allow yourself a break every few hours throughout the day. With this tool, users are able to set reminders for themselves at specific intervals, every 60-90 minutes or so. Once that amount of time has elapsed, users’ computer screens will dim and they will be forced to take a break. This should help make the time in between more productive and take a little stress of your eyes as well.