Me too! I sit down to work, determined to check off items on my “to-do” list. Wait, wait, just need to check Facebook, FIFA scores, MyHabit, fill the dog’s water bowl….and an hour goes by.
I’ve already used up my limited willpower on my diet, So what’s the solution?
Personal strategies
I like the definition of personal productivity from workawesome: “…personal productivity is completing the actions that move you closer to accomplishing your goals in a manner that brings balance and ease into your life.” Nailed it, because my work life balance was awesome when I was on vacation!
Here are a few tips to increase your productivity by reducing distractions:
- Read the news before the start of the day.
- Log out of social networking sites (the extra steps to log in may prevent you from mindlessly visiting them).
- Likewise, close your browser if you don’t need to be online.
- Turn off e-mail, text and other notifications.
- Unplug for your breaks: stretch, walk, pet the dog on those WFH days.
Software to eliminate online distractions
If these tips don’t work, you might need to put a software boss in charge of your computer. You can set up these tools to block sites that are major distractions for you.
Block websites with Internet Explorer – Step by step instructions for how to block specific sites with Internet Explorer
Freedom – A productivity application that locks you away from the internet on Mac or Windows computers for up to eight hours at a time
Anti-social – A productivity application for Macs that turns off the social parts of the internet
Good luck with both your focus and your diet!