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Focus & avoid distractions

Introduction

Problem

Did you ever have the impression that whenever you start working on a task, you often feel like switching to another simpler task like checking out social media or reading your emails?

The main reason is likely, as explained earlier, because you lost the ability to focus. You need to push yourself to maintain focus for short periods of times (e.g 25 minutes) in order to reacquire this trait. Those sessions will produce better results and you will feel extremely good about ithem.

In an environment where stimuli are everywhere, how can you maintain focus?

Scenario

You managed to clear your schedule for 2 hours in order to work on some high priority items.

It has been 15 minutes when you computer chimes. It is a Slack notification.

You ignore it, trying to stay in the flow.

A few seconds later you receive a text message on your phone. Someone apparently needs your help quickly.

You decide to go check and jump on the Slack conversation. This brings you to an Intercom conversation from an angry customer. You take care of the issue and close the tab.

Instinctively, you see that your Gmail tab is indicating that you have new emails in your inbox.

You take a look. Nothing important after all.

Yet this episode has taken 20 minutes and you are no longer focused on your task.

You feel drained and decide to check social media for a few minutes before getting back at it...

If you recognize yourself, you are not alone. But how could you do better?