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The Internet has become an enormous distraction for students and workers across the world. It's hard to keep your focus when, at the click of a mouse, you can take a quick trip from your daily tasks to check in on friends, family, or your favorite celebrity. Are the dishes lying dirty in the sink? Do you need to finish a mound of paperwork? Most people would rather watch a hilarious dog video. And another. And another. Before you know it, your whole day is drained. Some experts believe this can lead to internet addiction. The negative effects on your mental health continue to be studied.
Before you sink another day into your favorite social media app, consider the negative effects. That quick dopamine hit you get online that brings a wave of euphoria may be less attractive when you realize the possible consequences to your mental health. A major study found that every hour adolescents spend on social media adds up to more severe symptoms of depression. Do yourself a favor: keep a lid on your social media use by avoiding it when your attention is better spent elsewhere.
But how can you avoid such a powerful distractor? It helps to have a plan. Experts advise that you keep social media sites closed until a time you choose in advance to open them. Of course, a plan is only so good as your follow-through—be sure to stick to it! If self-control isn't your strong suit, there are several anti-social media apps that help you keep a lid on apps and websites that rob you of your productive time.
Have you got mail? For some reason, emails just beg to be opened—even trivial ones. If you find yourself immediately opening every email, you may be wasting your mental energy along with your precious time. As one email is read and responded to, another pops up in its place. How can you maintain focus on your current project, rather than scratching the email itch every time a new one pops into your inbox?
Schedule time in your workday for answering emails. Having a set time can free you from the burden of distracting emails, allowing you to concentrate on the issues that need your attention most of all. It may be best to completely shut down your email software if you continue to find it tugging at your time.
Do you have friends and family who love to chat on the phone? Once in awhile this can be a pleasant diversion, but frequent phone calls easily become major concentration killers. That cell phone ringtone can interrupt the blocks of time you set aside for steady concentration, and steal your productivity. Young people who use cell phones more often are also more likely to have trouble sleeping and symptoms of depression, one major study finds.
The easy answer to cell phone disruptions is to turn off the ringtone. If you expect an urgent call now and then, leave it on—but scan the caller ID before you pick up. That way you won't be as tempted to answer for less important calls. Better yet, just like your emails, you can set aside a particular time to check voicemails and review their importance. This can preserve your powers of concentration during times you really need them.
A phone call to Mom, a work email, an urgent request from your kids—think you can get everything done at once? It may seem that way, but chances are you're less effective than you think in these multitasking moments. In fact, many psychologists call multitasking a myth. When you throw yourself into multiple tasks at once, your attention is divided and even your memory is weaker.
Multitasking may not be useful, but it can also be difficult to avoid. When your workday requires a lot, it's hard to focus on one task at a time. But that is exactly what psychologists recommend. Try to “chunk” your day into pieces of time for each individual task. Give yourself a set time for each activity your work requires. Before you know it, you will be managing multiple tasks without multitasking and taking full advantage of your time.
Boredom can creep into anyone's day. For most people, daily tasks will include at least some that are boring. And when you are bored, you are more easily distracted, too. Before you know it, a simple, dull task drags on as you find more interesting things to do with your time, whether it's checking your phone notifications, surfing the internet, or cleaning your office desk—whether it needs it or not.
Sometimes bribery works, even for yourself. Make a decision to give yourself a small reward for completing a task you find boring. That could be a five-minute break, a healthy snack, or a short walk for some fresh air. Whatever motivates you and doesn't detract from your focus can work. Another strategy is to make your boring task as interesting as possible. Make a game out of it—time yourself and try to beat your best time. Or put on some music you find pleasant but not too distracting. The answer to this problem will depend on what motivates you most.
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