3 Tricks to Staying Focused at Work

There are some weeks where staying focused at work isn’t a problem, then there are others wherein the hours seem to drag along. These three tips will help you turn those daunting tasks and endless unmotivated days back into productive and efficient progress.

Manage your time wisely

This trick sounds like common sense, but there is a science to managing your time for productivity. In order to stay focused, you have to allocate time purposefully and distribute tasks throughout the day based on when you are most productive. Stick to a regular schedule or routine in order to counteract procrastination, and schedule in breaks to avoid burnout.

Try different ways to structure your day to find out what works best. You could try doing all the creative work first thing in the morning, when your mind is fresh, and save mindless tasks for last. Or you could start the day by responding to emails and structuring the day ahead of you. Whichever schedule you discover works best, make sure you manage your time to ensure all work is done when it needs to be. Keeping deadlines in mind is also a great way to maintain focus.

Keep it organized

Staying organized is an excellent way to encourage focus and productivity. In addition to organizing your time, it’s also important to organize your working space and tasks at hand. Keep your desk clean and free from clutter so you can focus on fulfilling your responsibilities.

Organizing your tasks in a to-do list is another great way to stay laser focused on what needs to get done. You can list out issues that need to be addressed within the week, the day or even the hour. As an added bonus, once you finish a task you can enjoy the satisfying feeling of crossing it off your list. A to-do list doesn’t have to be done with pen and paper, there are multiple applications, like Evernote and Wunderlist, that can help you keep track of your checklists right from your phone.

Accept that you will occasionally get bored

Getting bored is inevitable with any job, but that shouldn’t make you lose focus. Even the jobs you truly love and enjoy may get boring in some aspects. Move past the boredom and invest your time and effort in remaining focused at work by reminding yourself that what you do is worth powering through despite the boredom. In order to achieve this, pinpoint your goal and work steadily towards that, while reminding yourself of your purpose and the overarching mission and strategy behind your tasks.