Increase your Productivity by Eliminating Distractions

Eliminating distractions will lead to better productivity. Distractions act as obstacles to writing and creative endeavors, particularly in our modern world, where there are many interruptions and distractions that demand attention. It is important to note that even though they may seem useful and beneficial, they impede your ability to succeed, particularly when you are involved in artistic pursuits that require concentration and focus.

Signs that distractions are sapping your productivity include:

• Bad performance reviews at work
• Not meeting deadlines
• Barely meeting deadlines
• Quality of your work is not as much as it should be
• Writers or artist’s block
• Depression, anxiety and other similar symptoms
• In other words, many of your problems could be resolved just by eliminated distractions from your life.

The News

It has been proven that the news media can be a major contributor to decreased productivity by fostering feelings of depression, helplessness, and insignificance. In addition to TV news programs constantly reporting about scandals, corruption, death, and destruction, newspapers and online news outlets spread negative rumors constantly as well. When we are constantly exposed to negative news, we are less likely to be motivated and focus on our tasks, which can hamper our productivity.

It is, however, true that many people still spend a significant amount of time each day watching and listening to these news programs as well as reading newspapers, often for hours on end. It is not uncommon for people to hear about shootings in other cities, corrupt politicians and fires in other states, but most of those events do not have any immediate impact on their lives. Additionally, there is nothing they can do about them. Although the news keeps reporting these stories repeatedly, the result is that we waste time on these stories and that we are unable to be productive as a result.

Over ten years ago, I made the decision to cancel my cable TV subscription as well as to stop reading the newspaper and news magazines. Since that time, I have never regretted my decision, and I have never looked back since. I have been able to significantly improve my quality of life as a result of the fact that I am no longer able to access news websites.

In the end, the only thing I found that still affected me was the occasional need to check the weather. To resolve this problem, I discovered weather.gov, an alternative weather information source that does not carry any news or advertisements. By using this method, I have been able to access the information that I need without being exposed to any news.

Facebook and other Social Media

It is very easy to become addicted to social media. My personal experience with social media has been that I have lost entire days to it, letting productive work slip by unknowingly while participating in activities such as chatting, answering questions, posting comments, and writing posts on Facebook. In order to avoid social media from taking up too much of your time and preventing you from being productive, it is imperative that you are mindful of your time spent on it and make a conscious effort to limit it accordingly.

Social media such as Facebook is a type of addiction.

As a result of the Facebook app being installed on their smartphones, many of my friends can now feed their addiction from anywhere, at any time, and they can do it without leaving their homes. In addition to constantly updating their location, posting pictures of their food, and commenting on their posts in real-time, these individuals frequently share false information via MEMEs and such. It can be time-consuming and distracting to stay on social media constantly, negatively affecting your productivity in the long run.

Facebook is detrimental to creativity. Instead of using your energy and imagination for writing, painting, working or any other creative endeavor, you channel it into activities which are not productive. You may even focus on taking pictures and commenting on trivial matters during dinner with friends or on a date, rather than fully participating in the moment at hand.  There is no doubt that social media, including Facebook, can consume a great deal of your creative energy and divert attention away from meaningful tasks and experiences, thereby hindering your potential for personal growth and creativity.

The constant notifications you receive from Facebook can be difficult to ignore. It can be extremely tempting to continuously check and engage with the platform, taking time away from actually living life and hindering productivity, when there are regular updates on postings, comments, messages, and other activity.

As a way to balance the benefits of using Facebook for both personal and business purposes while controlling its addictive nature, consider the following steps:

• Maintain a regular schedule for checking and engaging with Facebook and stick to it.
• Using tools such as screen-time management apps, you can limit the amount of time that you are spending on the platform.
• The notifications can be turned off or the settings can be changed to reduce the frequency of the notifications.
• Maintain a healthy work-life balance by prioritizing work tasks and taking breaks from technology when needed to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Only use Facebook for specific tasks.
• Avoid being pulled into political or other controversial subjects.

The best way to use Facebook more successfully and productively is to recognize and acknowledge when the use of the site is becoming excessive, and to take the necessary steps to limit it. By using these strategies, you will be able to utilize Facebook in a more responsible and productive manner, without letting it devour too much time and creativity.

There can be a great deal of benefit to maintaining productivity and controlling the addictive nature of social media by creating a personal policy that limits how much time one spends on the platform. It is possible to ensure that the time spent on Facebook is purposeful and limited by setting a timer for 30 minutes per day, three days a week, to allow for socializing on the platform. With this schedule, you’ll be able to maintain a healthy balance between using Facebook and focusing on other meaningful activities and tasks.

Phones are Huge Distractions

As a result of their ability to constantly distract and interrupt their users, smartphones can be referred to as interruption devices. In today’s modern world, it can be challenging to maintain focus on any task or activity when anyone is able to call or text at any time. It is very important to maintain a balance between using your phone and setting boundaries, such as turning off notifications at work hours, in order to minimize interruptions and increase productivity.

As a matter of fact, having a smartphone at all times isn’t always necessary. Unless you are on call or there is an emergency, you do not always need to be able to access your phone at all times. It is possible to improve your focus and productivity by limiting your phone use and separating yourself from constant distractions. To minimize interruptions during work hours, you should set aside specific times to check your phone and turn off notifications during these times.

It is becoming increasingly evident that texting has intensified interruptions due to constant notifications. Many people expect immediate responses to their texts, which has increased their pressure to constantly check and respond. Having constant needs to respond to messages can lead to an overwhelming amount of communication, with some individuals receiving several hundred texts per day. As a result, it is imperative to set boundaries around texting, such as designated times for checking messages and declining unreasonable expectations for immediate responses, therefore improving productivity and reducing distractions.

Imagine if all that energy were spent on a productive, creative task instead.

To cut down on the interruptions from the phone, both text and voice, do the following:

• Modern phones can program a “blackout period” when all calls are sent to voicemail or simply not answered. Exceptions can be programmed so certain phone numbers, like your mother’s, can get through regardless. Use this feature to stop phone calls during the evening hours, and during those times you’ve set aside for creative work.
• Silence your phone, including text messages, in any meetings, when you are on a date, and when it would be rude for the phone to ring.
• Always silence your phone, and keep it in another room, when you are doing anything creative or productive.
• Remember, if their message is important, they will call back.
• Block numbers from spam callers.

Stop letting the phone rule your life. Turn it off when you are trying to focus. Your production will go up dramatically.

Television and Advertising

To boost your productivity, eliminate cable television. Instead, go with streaming services like Netflix or keep your Blu-ray/DVD player for watching movies and shows. This will limit your exposure to advertising, which can influence your buying habits and decrease the amount of work you are able to complete.

If you are disconnected from cable TV, you are able to avoid the constant barrage of negativity from the news and reduce the effects of advertising on your life. Limiting your exposure to these distractions will allow you to improve your productivity and focus more on what really matters to you. Further, by choosing to watch shows on platforms like Netflix, you have more control over what you watch and how you watch it, without the constant interruptions of commercials.

Eliminating Distractions Will Improve Your Creativity

The unproductive distractions that you encounter every day, such as TV shows, communication devices, and entertainment, unconsciously diminish your efficiency every day. By eliminating these distractions, you can improve your well-being and improve your productivity by taking control of them, rather than wasting them. They offer little value and consume a lot of your time and energy.

Richard Lowe Jr

Richard is the Owner and Senior Writer for The Writing King, a bestselling author, and ghostwriter. He’s written and published 63 books, ghostwritten 40+ books, as well as hundreds of blog articles.