In today’s world, it’s harder than ever to stay focused. Modern technology constantly bombards us with nonstop messages, alerts, and emails. What’s the price we are really paying for all these incessant interruptions? How can we cut through the noise and reach our full potential?
Technology is marvelous. Smart-phones allow us to stay connected and find valuable information virtually anywhere, anytime. The drawbacks of such technology, however, we have all experienced: calls at any hour, the sinking sand trap of social media and the Internet, a message or email that we need to respond to immediately, etc. This sort of information overload isn’t just irritable at times, studies have shown that these chronic intrusions actually shrink attentions spans, increase stress, trigger mistakes, and cost the US economy billions in lost productivity. A study by Intel estimated that lost productivity from information overload costs their company approximately $1 billion dollars alone. Researchers at Michigan State University found that a typical interruption lasting less than 3 seconds, such as a blinking notification in the corner of your computer screen, can double your risk of error during basic tasks. Now, more than ever, interruptions are undermining our ability to focus.
The average businessperson receives and sends more than 100 emails per day. What makes this number even more intrusive is that many of us now receive these email notifications on our phones as well. While a mobile email connection may be essential for your work, you will want to make sure to minimize these interruptions through some of the tips provided later in this article. Text messages are another constant threat to productivity. Two-thirds of professionals now report that they text for business, which can be extremely disruptive considering that approximately 90 percent of all texts are read within three minutes. Technology addiction is wreaking havoc in many ways. There are even in-patient centers across the country for people that suffer from technology addiction. It’s a surge that is causing marriage problems as well as work debacles. While many employers already monitor their employee’s web history to help keep them on task, there are still a litany of distractions that surround us every day—and it’s up to you to cut through the noise and find your focus.
Focus Locus
It’s true. People focus in different ways. Also, different types of work call for different types of focus. The key is to set the environment that is most conducive to your concentration and flow. All focus and peak performance, however, have one thing in common—boundaries.
If you don’t set them, interruptions are bound to arise. Not only do technological temptations need to be extinguished, physical parameters should also be made to limit personal interruptions to only urgent inquiries during your time of focus.
Here are a few interruption— management strategies to help channel your best work.
• Check email at set times. 2-4 times per day is most effective. Close out of email windows on your computer and silence all noisemakers and notifications.
• Stop responding to personal calls and texts during work hours. Make this a habit.
• Find your relaxation away from the office. Meditation, yoga, and exercises that encompass mind and body are shown to improve focus and attention.
• Escape from personal interruptions. For some, simply closing the office door may be enough. Depending on your preference, try heading to your favorite coffee shop, library, or wherever it is that you focus best for a few hours.
• T urn off browsers when you can, and let social media and other websites wait until you are off the clock.
• Silence your phone’s notification settings and set your phone to vibrate. Vibration alerts for calls and texts also causes less noise disruption for those around you. No one wants to be distracted by your ringtone.
• T ry including “No Reply Necessary” in the subject line or body of your emails when applicable. This will cut back on short replies acknowledging message reception that you would rather not have cluttering your inbox.
Multi-Task Mayhem
Don’t simply blame technology for bogging you down. Chances are, you are distracting yourself by doing more than one thing at a time. According to Gloria Mark, professor of informatics at the University of California, 44% of interruptions are self-inflicted. While our habits for self-distraction have plenty of causes, there’s one action at its root— Multitasking.
Even when you think you are accomplishing two different tasks at once, such as writing an email while simultaneously talking on the phone, you’re actually repeatedly self-interrupting. Each time you switch, the time it takes for your brain neurons to figure out where they left off can slow performance by 50% or more, according to University of Michigan psychology professor David Meyer.