In today’s digital, fast moving world we are constantly being distracted. All it takes is a whistle from the e-mail or social media sites we have still opened in the background of our desktop, and bam, we’re off track.
It’s obvious that we lose time from answering those messages. it’s also been proven that we lose time just as much trying to rediscover the “flow” that was just interrupted. In addition, we use this break to be further distracted by other apps.
We may tell ourselves we can answer on quick email or one short call. But in reality, multi-tasking is a myth and what it’s really called is task switching and each time we do one thing, then another, then back again, we return with significantly less skill and accuracy if we just focused on one at a time.
Tip 4: It’s okay to build yourself a cocoon
To help stay focused a lot of people remove themselves from these background distractions. Some lock themselves in their office and tell their colleagues they are going offline for a couple hours and not to be disturbed. Others disconnect from the internet and turn off their phone, or turn it on do not disturb just-in-case of an emergency.
Either way, the most effective work is to do one task at a time and keep the “flow” for as long as possible.
However, no matter how much you think you’re in control, your brain has its own agenda. If you decide to make a switch to a different project to give yourself some variety. Leaving it unfinished could linger like a mental itch. We find it very difficult to let go of unfinished tasks and can tend to drain on our mental resources.
The way around this is to find a good stopping point on a project. It makes it easier for our brain move on to another task.