7 Secret Ways To Avoid Distractions and Stay Focused

Distractions seem to be all around us in the modern-day. 

I wake up almost every day thinking that I will be productive today and achieve everything I set out to do as soon as possible. However, things often don’t go according to my plan, and I get distracted when I am halfway through with my morning coffee. 

Am I fighting windmills by trying to achieve something impossible day after day? 

Is it impossible to keep my workplace distraction-free, or does the problem stem from my own mindset? 

Well, I am sure many of you have asked yourselves the same questions, which is why you would be pressed to know that the cure does exist. You just have to be open to it and to want to change your ways hard enough. 

Below, I have outlined some of the tested and proven tips on focusing on your goals and avoiding distractions throughout your day. Of course, it’s impossible to eliminate distractions altogether, but by learning how to manage them best, you are setting yourself up for a better and stress-free future ahead. 

Ok, enough chit-chat from my end. Here are my top 7 tricks on how to avoid distractions and stay focused throughout your days!

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1. Go by a to-do list

Making a to-do list is always a good idea if you want to keep track of your priorities. It’s very likely that you constantly have to manage a lot on your plate – from personal to professional, the responsibilities never seem to stop coming.

It’s essential to build a system on prioritizing them the right way, so you know where to divert your focus. Another benefit from working with a to-do list is that you can scratch things off from it and feel that immediate gratification.

You can also refer to the to-do list if you feel like you are getting distracted or simply question whether you are on the right track. The to-do list can be a helpful companion in realigning you to what is actually important. 

If you decide to implement this method, it’s important to remember one thing – don’t overcomplicate your list. Many people try to make their lists as long as possible to feel more productive but not complete all the entries, which leads to disappointment. Aim to keep your list about 3-5 entries long, so it’s realistic. 

2. Invest in some good noise-canceling headphones

No matter where you work from, your environment can get noisy from time to time. For me, this is the ultimate focus-killer. It doesn’t matter if I am at home or the office – there are always people that talk to each other, blast music, or undergo some sort of construction.

If you are anything like me and can easily get triggered by the slightest change in sound, I recommend getting some solid noise-canceling headphones. Even if you don’t put any music on them to isolate you from the world outside, if their noise cancellation is good enough, they can block all sounds regardless. 

Curiously enough, there is a tendency in people that if you are wearing headphones, others are less likely to disturb you. Perhaps they don’t want to bother you, or they reevaluate the importance of their inquiry, but whatever the reason is – it works! So why don’t you take advantage of that? Sometimes the minor changes can have the biggest impact on our well-being. 

3. Use a time management technique

There are so many time management techniques out there that it’s hard to keep count of them anymore. But for the most part – they do quite a good job at keeping you focused and present in your work. You can try time-blocking, day theming, or, my favorite, the Pomodoro technique. 

Here is the short version if you have no idea what Pomodoro is. The basic premise of this technique is that you chunk up your time and use short bursts of about 20-30 minutes to be completely focused on what you are doing. Then, after that time is up, you can rest for about 5 minutes.

One cycle such as this is called a “Pomodoro”, hence the name. After 4 consecutive Pomodoros, you can take a longer break.

You can use a timer or your phone to keep you updated when your phase is over. I have noticed that Pomodoro works best if you attach a specific task to each Pomodoro cycle. That way, you can combine your to-do list with this technique to ensure you are on the best possible path to success. 

4. Avoid multitasking

If you are a serial reader of this blog, you probably roll your eyes as you read the subheader of this tip. Yes, I know I am talking about the dangers of multitasking over and over again, but you should know I do so with good reason.

Multitasking is the worst thing you can do if you want to be “in the zone” and keep your productivity levels high. This is because multitasking requires a lot of mental energy, thus making your focus scattered. And with a lack of focus, how do you expect to get anything done? 

The brain needs around 15 minutes to switch between tasks, so if you do this all the time, you will probably get a headache. Instead, I recommend you focus on one thing at a time and give it your undivided attention. Push back the anxiety of all those other things that are looming over your head from your to-do list and commit to one thing at the present moment. Trust me – this will work better in the long run. 

5. Take breaks 

Breaks are an integral part of boosting your focus and performance.

The brain isn’t a well-oiled machine – it’s an organ that needs to rest from time to time if you want it to work to its full capacity. There are some people that consider breaks needless and can get too consumed by their work.

Eventually, those people likely experience severe burnouts, and their stress levels fly off the charts. Don’t let yourself end up in that state – trust me, it’s not fun to recover from it. 

Try to schedule breaks in between your workday and have at least one 15 minute break in the first and second half of your workday.

I typically schedule my first break two hours after the beginning of my workday, then I have my lunch break after two more hours, and then I have my second 15-minute break 2 hours after my lunch break ends. Confused? Maybe my post that does a deep dive into my daily routine can help illustrate my point better. 

6. Put your phone away 

Your phone is likely the culprit that steals away 90% of your focus while studying or working.

We are so attached to our mobile devices that every blurb of a notification immediately destroys our focus and diverts it to check who just texted us.

And if you think it’s your lack of self-control that compels you to check your phone every time it rings, rest assured – you aren’t the only one. It just comes down to how we humans are wired, so even the most disciplined and focused person would have issues resisting the temptation of peeking into the blue screen. 

This is why I suggest you either switch off your notifications (or enter DnD mode) or simply leave your phone in the other room. I know for a fact that the first option doesn’t work for me at all – if I procrastinate, I will scroll through my phone even if it isn’t notifying me of anything. If your levels of self-restraint are higher, however, you can just switch to do not disturb or use an app to block certain social media apps for a certain period. 

7. Avoid procrastinating

I know that this may sound like an obvious yet impossible task to achieve, but hear me out.

It is possible to escape from the trap of procrastination, and you should make an effort to do so if you want to be productive and stay focused.

Many people make the mistake of assuming that procrastination and laziness are the same things, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The biggest difference between the two is that while laziness is passive apathy, procrastination is an active process since you choose to do something different than the thing you are supposed to do. 

The first step to conquering procrastination is… recognizing that you are procrastinating. Once you are aware of your behavior, it’s time to figure out why you are committing to this habit. Do you do it because the tasks are boring or unpleasant or because you are a perfectionist? Work out what works for you and how you can trick your brain into accepting and dealing with procrastination in the best way possible. 

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