I am someone who had always prided myself on my awesome multitasking skills, even after the news came out that multitasking really isn’t possible. The thing is, I never realized how much my efforts to balance doing multiple things at once, even though it felt relatively easy for me, was interfering with my productivity.
While that may not seem like a huge deal, when you consider how often I hear from women that their chief complaint is not having enough time, it’s actually a pretty big deal. With so little time to get things done, why would we ever want to waste time unnecessarily on things that aren’t serving us, our needs, or our goals?!
So then the question becomes, HOW can we help to minimize distractions, and what is the best way to respond when they DO crop up? And the answer is surprisingly simple!
Prevent distractions by…
Establishing designated times and spaces for getting things done
Putting your phone and other potential distractions in a different area
Giving yourself a fixed amount of time per task
Working with your natural rhythms and completing the most challenging tasks when you’re at your most energetic
Navigate distractions once they’re in-process by…
Doing a quick assessment as to the urgency of the interruption
Handling anything urgent right away, scheduling or delegating everything else
Finding a way to refocus your attention (resetting yourself, deep breathing, grounding exercises, etc.)
And perhaps the MOST important thing you can do when battling distraction? Give yourself grace and understanding, trusting that you don’t need to be perfect to be effective!
