A deadline is looming and your coworker interrupts you when you are in the middle of an e-mail, your phone alerts you of a Facebook event, a coworker messages you on Skype, Microsoft Teams alerts you of new activity, your cubical neighbor is speaking loudly on a conference call… With all the communication, technology, and open concept floor plans becoming increasing popular, it can be very difficult to keep on task.

Here are 5 Tips to Stay Focused at Work:

  1. Create a to-do list with deadlines. Set goals for yourself throughout the day and commit to accomplishing them. Today I will complete X task by Y time. This will help you feel a sense of urgency and prioritize your work accordingly.
  2. Keep your workspace organized. We have enough distractions coming at us from coworkers, personal lives, and office environments. Try to keep the distractions off your desk. A clean, well-organized workspace will help improve your focus.
  3. Take short breaks throughout the day. Okay, after I complete X task by Y time, I will take a 10 minute walk. As counterintuitive as it seems, studies show breaks at work actually help to boost productivity when you return to your desk.
  4. Turn off distractions. Turn your cell phone on Do Not Disturb (many phones allow you to schedule this, and you are able to allow calls only from certain people in case of an emergency), so you do not receive unimportant notifications while you are at work. Only check your phone during your scheduled breaks.
  5. Plan ahead and schedule time on your calendar. If you have a big deadline coming up, set aside time to work on the project in a quiet work space. If you don’t have your calendar blocked off, it’s likely people will schedule meetings on top of meetings, and you will have trouble finding time to accomplish your projects on time. Imagine you are your own administrative assistant, and manage your calendar wisely.

Staying focused at work is a struggle for many of us, but follow these 5 steps and you will undoubtedly be more productive. For more career advice, give us a call at (816)986-0909 or email at info@platinumresumes.com.