No Distractions!

One of the keys to getting done what you want to get done is being able to focus on the task at hand. However, having focused attention these days is starting to feel like a lost art. Not only are there the normal distractions of our environment to battle against, like the cat curling up next to you or someone ringing the doorbell or the buzz of the air conditioning turning on, but there's also the devices we have that are designed for distraction.

Our phones recon us to pick them up, apps call our attention with notifications, inboxes are forever pinging, and texts can seem to come in at the most inconvenient moments.

But don't forget that you have control over what attention your device gets (or doesn't).

I've noticed for myself that my phone (and also my computer) can be my greatest tool as well as my biggest enemy when it comes to productivity. It comes down to the relationship that I construct with it.

I'm continuously experimenting with silencing notifications, removing apps, variations on Do Not Disturb, and even hiding the damn thing when I'm trying to get work done.

Sometimes I'll even put it in a drawer and tell it, "Nite Nite."

What are your favorite ways of making your device or environment less distracting so you can focus?

Don't let your seeming inability to focus be a judgment on yourself -- you're fighting against an environment that's designed to get your attention, which takes it away from where you might want to direct it. It's not that there's something wrong with you, it's that you haven't found the way to alter your environment.

There's a cost to paying attention, make sure your hard earned focus cash is going where you want it.