Productivity Hacks: 6 Ways To Fight Distractions

This post is part of a series in which LinkedIn Influencers share their secrets to being more productive. See all their #productivityhacks here.

Every day you walk into the office expecting to get everything accomplished on your to-do list. Halfway through the day, however, you find yourself checking your email for the fifth time, looking at your aunt’s cat pictures on Facebook, and trying to tune out your coworker’s loud conversation about his mother-in-law. You might start the day with great intentions, but your productivity likely didn’t live up to your aspirations.

Honestly, distraction is the No. 1 killer of productivity. According to studies, workers are interrupted by distractions roughly every three minutes. Shockingly, it can then take up to 23 minutes to get back to the task at hand -- and the things you think are helping your productivity might actually be hurting your work.

Here are some productivity hacks for ridding your work life of all those pesky distractions:

Focus on you. Carve out a little quiet time in the mornings before diving into your overflowing inbox. If you start showing up before everyone else gets into the office, the quiet atmosphere can help you focus. With less distractions you can focus on what really matters and breeze through your most challenging projects. In fact, 89 percent of workers are most productive when working alone. Don’t be afraid to shut your office door or don noise-canceling headphones for a little peace and quiet. This allows you to center yourself and focus more fully on work.

Stop multitasking. You could either get one task done well or a bunch of tasks done poorly. Which will you choose? Today, we’re living in a multi-screen world and we’ve all become multitasking junkies. A recent Google study showed 66 percent of people use smartphones and computers simultaneously, while 90 percent of those surveyed use electronic devices sequentially throughout the day. Every time you stop a task to quickly check Twitter or answer a text, you’re breaking up your concentration. Put your devices on silent and give your full attention to your work for more productive results.

Kick your email addiction. Obsessive email checks are the drug of choice for most busy professionals. Are you really getting anything done if you stop your work every time another email pops up in your inbox? Schedule specific times during your day to check your email and only check it then. Otherwise, turn off the notifications on your email and focus on your tasks. Your phone still works, so don’t worry about missing out on something important.

Follow the 80/20 rule. Only 20 percent of what you do everyday produces 80 percent of your results. Cut the fat from your workday in order to get the most out of your efforts. For instance, if your to-do list is a mile long, odds are you won’t accomplish much at all. Make it manageable and put the most essential tasks at the beginning. This way, you’re focusing 100 percent of your attention on the top 20 percent of your work that produces results.

Make tough choices. If you know you’re a sucker for BuzzFeed or Twitter, it’s time to say sayonara to the Internet--at least temporarily. Shut out distractions by being tough and realistic with yourself about your tendencies. This might mean putting locks on your Internet usage and blocking certain sites during working hours. You know what your distraction achilles heel is -- whether messaging with friends or looking at baby animals -- so you’re the only one who can curtail these distractions during your workday.

Skip social media and pick up the phone. Let’s be honest, sometimes the quickest route to information is to actually just pick up the phone. The typical employee sends about 43 emails per day and receives a whopping 130 messages. Instead of wading through a never-ending deluge of emails, picking up the phone can be a much faster and more personal way of getting the information you need. Not only will you be building connections with your coworkers, you’ll be cutting down on your distraction-filled inbox.

It can sometimes feel impossible to cut out distractions and get back on track. But productivity is right around the corner if you learn how to say goodbye to distractions and get focused.

How do you cut out distractions at work? Share in the comments!

About Ilya Pozin:

Founder of Open Me and Ciplex. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn. Gadget lover, investor, mentor, husband, father, and '30 Under 30' entrepreneur. Follow Ilya below to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates!

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