How to Stay Focused + Limit Distractions

We are constantly being pulled in SO many directions and who doesn’t have the experience of being distracted from the task at hand?! I know I have an especially  tough time staying focused when I am feeling any one (or combination) of the following:

• bored
• crazed
• over-worked
• energy-deprived
• restless

While some of the above deserve specific attention (I might need to reduce my to-do list, get more sleep and/or better nutrition, etc.)… the technique described in this post is for times when my inner four-year-old begins to take control. The little girl in me wants to prioritize immediate gratification over what appropriately needs to get done given my roles and responsibilities.

Pomodoro Timing Technique

Back in the ’80s an Italian college student came up with the Pomodoro Timing Technique (aka ‘the pomo’). He found that he could be highly focused with his studies if he set his kitchen timer (which happened to be in the shape of a tomato) for 25 minutes. Once that timer was set, he wouldn’t let himself look at anything else until the alarm rang. When it did ring, he would break for five minutes, then re-engage for another 25. After his third Pomodoro, he’d take a longer break.

In today’s corporate work environment, you can attempt a similar technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes (or 15 if it’s all you have) and don’t let yourself do ANYthing else. Don’t respond to that quick email! (It can be tempting, because our brains like the satisfaction of small wins!) Don’t let yourself be drawn into Facebook or other social forums. And if you are frequently interrupted by co-workers, come up with creative ways to have them come back when the timing is a better for you. It’s ok (and appropriate) to set boundaries!

The effects of this type of timing technique are awesome.

The pomo is great for managing pesky tasks that you might continue to put off. You can do anything for 25 minutes, right? By setting the reasonable time limit you are easing the stress of the task. No matter what, it’s now a tangible (completable) 25 minute task (even if the entire project is more like 180 minutes from start to finish!).

Another awesome side-effect of this technique is that you begin to develop a true sense for how long tasks actually take! We humans are terrible at judging time (and food intake, and money spent, for that matter). At the end of a long, tiring day, I always think the dinner clean-up will take 45 minutes. I’m usually done in about ten! Taking the home application further, spend even five minutes per day in each room (picking up/decluttering) and you will have a transformation. The trick is to make yourself stay in the same room for only five minutes, move quickly, and STOP when the timer goes off! Get the most bang for your buck.

Using the pomo technique, you will experience an energy boost from the satisfaction of completing the task, More importantly, you’ve successfully reserved and preserved precious energy for something much cooler – like care-free time with your spouse, time on the porch with a book, or an extra 20 minutes at the gym.

But wait! We were talking about work!

Use timing techniques to feel more accomplished, be a better planner, and to beat procrastination.

Within the next three days, try a pomo with anything you have to do (especially something you don’t particularly want to do). I recommend having a notepad handy because it’s common that other (non-related) *stuff* will bubble up from your sub-conscious as you try to work on only one project. Just jot it down and address it later** (like during one of your breaks).

**Addressing it later could mean that you actually execute the task during the break (if it’s less than five minutes). If it’s more than five minutes you can either schedule it when you know you will have time. If it’s something you need to do some strategic thinking about, you can jot it for considering during your planning sessions.

If you choose to try this technique and you happen wander (and then wonder why your timer is sounding), don’t beat yourself up! We are all works-in-progress. Just notice it and try a few more times to see if this is a technique you can use effectively.

Have you used timing techniques yourself? Do you find them useful? What other tricks do you use when you need to stay focused. Please share in the comments below!

About Linda Stacy

Linda is a Boston-based Productivity Specialist and author of The Whole Package Professional: The Definitive Guide to Productivity, Success and Fulfillment in Business and Life. She created the LivingBluPrints System based on her experience as busy professional in the management consulting industry, an entrepreneur, and years of research, training, and living her best life.

Linda brings her transformative Productivity Workshops and On-Site-Seminars to corporate audiences, entrepreneurs, and hyper-busy professionals.

When the time is right, connect with Linda (linda@livingbluprints.com | 617.512.9572) to help you or your team build your blueprint to succeed in 2017!