Distractions at work derail you much more than you might think
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
I am writing this blog at a time when we all are working in unconventional ways and trying to do the best we can. Distractions at work can create challenges even during normal times, but as we all adjust to stay-at-home orders, this issue has the potential to wreak havoc in our work lives.
Work in Extraordinary Times
Even if you have worked from home before, whether full-time or part-time, the pandemic has likely added some new dimensions to your routine: partners, children, other family, roommates, financial stress, worries about the future, and more.
Current memes remind parents that they are not homeschooling, but “crisis schooling.” That distinction helps individuals frame their efforts from the right perspective. Good enough is good enough right now.
The same can be said for work. These extraordinary times call for us to maintain a realistic view of what we have the energy and capacity to achieve. In other words, cut yourself a little slack. Do what you can do, and try to find some comfort in the familiarity of your work. It can give you a sense of normalcy during an otherwise abnormal time.
Also, have an upfront conversation with your manager if the workload you have is beyond your capabilities right now. Having the conversation sooner rather than later is important.
Finding Routine
Setting a routine can help you maintain that normalcy during this stressful time. Work regular hours, even if that means creating blocks of time around your children’s homeschool schedule, video calls with your work team, or other personal commitments.
Dedicated, unplugged time to complete work will help you minimize distractions. Turn off the news, shut down social media and give yourself the gift of one or two-hour blocks of focused project time each day.
As reported in this business blog:
“It takes an average of about 25 minutes...to return to the original task after an interruption, according to Gloria Mark, who studies digital distraction at the University of California, Irvine… Distractions don’t just eat up time during the distraction, they derail your mental progress for up to a half hour afterward... In other words, that ‘30 seconds to check Twitter’ isn’t just 30 seconds down the drain. It’s 25 minutes and 30 seconds.”
That pandemic news alert that pings on your phone, or the phone call from a friend or family member, could blow your focus for the next half hour. Continued interruptions and distractions could lead to an entire wasted day. Sticking to a routine can help break that cycle.
Mental Health Impact
In addition to positively impacting your productivity, reducing distractions offers a number of mental health benefits. Allowing time for your brain to focus can improve your long-term memory, reduce stress and anxiety, and even support better sleep.
The video below explains how our brains are wired to seek information almost constantly – a trait perpetuated by modern, always-on technology. However, our habit of trying to absorb as much information as possible actually inhibits memory retention.
While distractions come in many forms, digital distractions have a strong pull for many people. Actively choosing to turn off those distractions for long stretches allows your brain to rest and restore itself.
Giving the brain a chance to integrate information pulls it out of reactive mode and supports its ability to create and innovate.
The Employer’s Role in Distraction
Addressing the issue of distraction requires effort from more than just the individual. Employers and managers also need to pay attention to distraction's detrimental impacts.
Employees who feel pressured to join hours of video calls, check email 24 hours per day and respond immediately to every IM or text cannot do their best work. You need to give your people time to think and create. Quality work takes focus, and employees simply can’t focus if their days are packed with employer-mandated distractions.
This article in Talent Economy sums up the problem:
“Today, corporate success hinges on intellectual capability, and productivity is dependent on cultivating employee cognition — helping facilitate employees’ ability to synthesize information, to create and to innovate. To this end, employers must provide an employee experience that facilitates focused work emphasizing attention management.”
Take a look at your current work-from-home program and processes. Have you allocated enough time in your employees’ schedules for uninterrupted work and focus time? If not, revise your approach sooner than later.
As a manager, ask your employees how they are doing as they try to keep up with the demands of work, children and personal commitments. Expecting the same productivity without helping them reduce distractions is not realistic. The skills that are developed now will be useful long into the future.
Whether you are an employee or an employer, I can help you design and implement systems that support a more creative and positive work environment. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.