Life is not perfect and it’s full of distractions. Whether you have kids, work at a coworking space or people don’t stop blowing up your Facebook Messenger, the reality is we are constantly being bombarded by distractions.
This can get really annoying when we’re trying to get work done. Especially if we need to get a lot of work done in a short period of time. Here’s how you can ignore distractions when you’re trying to work.
Use free desktop applications.
One way I am able to easily ignore distractions when I’m trying to work is to use free desktop applications like SelfControl for Mac.
This particular application allows me to block certain websites for a set period of time. This is helpful because sometimes I’m the one causing my own distractions (I’m looking at you social media!). By blocking the websites I normally visit in an effort to procrastinate, it’s like I’m literally being forced to work.
Listen to music.
At this point in my freelance career, I pretty much can’t live without my Spotify account. Whether I’m at home trying to ignore all the commotion or at my co-working space during a particularly noisy day, listening to music helps me block out the world and ignore distractions so I can get some work done.
Change your scenery.
Sometimes, if I’ve been working from the same place for some time, I find it difficult to ignore distractions. It’s like my creativity becomes stagnant if I’ve been sitting at the same desk for weeks.
Because of this, I make it a habit to move around quite a bit. It’s also why I only have the community membership at my coworking space instead of upgrading to a designated desk.
Try productivity hacks.
Another way to ignore distractions while you’re trying to get some work done is to try some productivity hacks. Which ones you try may depend on your mood. Below you’ll find a couple of the ones I find helpful for ignoring distractions:
- Batching – Batching is when you focus on similar tasks during a set time period. For example, if I’m writing for a particular client, I may dedicate the entire day to just that one client because my brain already has momentum for the task at hand.
- Pomodoro Technique – The Pomodoro Technique can really help you ignore distractions and kick it into high gear, especially if you like to compete with yourself. What you do is set a timer for 25 minutes. During those 25 minutes, you get as much done as possible. When the alarm goes off then you take a break for 5 minutes. Continue repeating the process until you’ve completed the task at hand.
Set boundaries.
Sometimes being able to ignore distractions is as simple as setting boundaries with the people who tend to distract me. For example, I’ll tell my friends if I’m working on a big project so they know I won’t be responding to their messages.
How do you ignore distractions when you’re trying to get work done? Share in the comments below!
