HOW TO DEAL WITH DISTRACTIONS

The world that we are living in has become a constant overload of information; a continuous flow of messages through mobile phones, electronic devices, internet, social media & advertising on nearly every flat surface possible. I can’t help to sometimes feel that my life is constantly being interrupted and my focus clouded with information, information and more information…..
Sadly I know that these distractions are not going away on their own. Instead, I have to find a way to live an attentive & intentional life in a world of distraction. In fact, we all do.  Have you found a way to hold life’s distractions at bay?  If not, here are a few handy tips:

1.    Turn off smart phone notifications – most of us have our smart phones living in our pockets, constantly notifying us of incoming messages, updates, emails and so forth, resulting in us constantly checking our phones.  Turn off unnecessary notifications, and check your messages on your schedule at appropriate times throughout the day.

2.    Schedule your email processing – create a habit of checking your email only every couple of hours each day.  This habit will limit constant distraction while focusing on your current assignment.

3.    Immediately attend to jobs that require less than 2 minutes to complete – a great habit that will stop you from being distracted by many unfinished projects.

4.    Remove physical clutter – clear your workspace & desk from unnecessary clutter, and you will be surprised how much your ability to focus will improve.

5.    Reduce television time – no one can argue against the distracting nature of watching television.  Limit the time that you spend watching television each day, or even sometimes unplug your television for a couple of days.  An easy solution to lay the foundation for a less distracted life.

6.    Declutter your mind – only focus on the task at hand.  Take a few minutes each morning to plan your day & set your priorities. Keep focus throughout the day by keeping a to-do-list handy.  Writing down a task-to-do will immediately discard it from your mind, and will keep you focused on your task at hand.

Constant distractions will always be part of our lives—it’s up to us to learn how to manage it effectively.

PETRO GROENEWALD, CA – SNR SMSF ACCOUNTANT