Tag: lifestyle

Distractions have never been harder to resist. According to Deloitte’s “2022 Connectivity and Mobile Trends Survey” (third edition), the average household in the United States now has a total of 22 connected devices. Things are a little less connected in Canada, where a J.D. Power survey of television service subscribers found that the average household has about 10 devices.

The prevalence and accessibility of devices can make it difficult to focus, but tablets, smartphones and other technologies are not the only culprits that can compromise the ability to concentrate. Harvard Medical School notes that underlying medical conditions, the side effects of medication and excessive alcohol consumption can each make it harder to focus. That’s a significant detriment, as an ability to focus can help individuals be more efficient and perform better at work and in school.

Each individual is different, so efforts to improve focus might require a little trial and error until a person finds what works for them. In the meantime, the following are some effective strategies that can help people sharpen their focus and reap all the rewards that a heightened ability to concentrate has to offer.

· Turn notifications off. Notifications are a bigger distraction than people may realize. A 2015 study from researchers at Florida State University found that simply hearing the ping of a notification was as distracting as taking a phone call. Individuals may find the idea of answering as little as 20 or more phone calls per day unrealistic, but researchers have found that the average smartphone user receives around 80 push notifications per day. Such constant inflow of notifications is detrimental to smartphone users’ ability to focus. Turning notifications off while in school or during the workday can help people avoid this seemingly endless stream of distractions, thus improving focus.

· Establish a distraction-free workspace. A survey from McKinsey & Company found that, after the acute phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, 58 percent of employed respondents have the option to work from home for all or part of the week. Remote working may be more convenient, but it also can compromise workers’ focus in ways that are unique to working from home. For example, professionals’ children cannot stroll into their offices when they aren’t working from home, nor are distractions like television within arm’s length in a traditional office setting. Professionals who are finding it hard to focus when working from home can do more to make their home offices distraction-free. Make your home a television-free zone during traditional working hours and remove a television or non-work tablet from your office so you aren’t tempted to watch a show or a sporting event when you’re supposed to be working.

· Adopt a healthier lifestyle. The experts at Harvard Medical School note that many aspects of a healthy lifestyle can help people focus better. Researchers have discovered a direct link between exercise and a person’s ability to pay attention, noting that exercise increases the availability of brain chemicals that reduce stress and improve sleep, among other things. Less stress and a good night’s rest can make it easier to focus.

An ability to focus pays myriad dividends. Individuals can try various strategies to improve their concentration skills and reap the rewards that such improvement provides.

Much like money, time does not grow on trees. That reality is all too familiar to busy adults juggling multiple responsibilities at work, at home and other places where they spend their time.

A time crunch can make it hard to commit to a New Year’s resolution. But resolutions, which are often focused on self-improvement, can be worthwhile endeavors. So what are busy adults to do? Perhaps the best approach is to choose resolutions that don’t necessarily require much time.

Exercise More

A commitment to getting fit and being more physically active is a popular New Year’s resolution. Though choosing such a path may seem like it requires a significant time commitment, the Physical Activity Guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that adults perform at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. That might seem like a lot, but it can be combined with other leisure activities you already engage in. For example, a sports fan can watch the big game while on a treadmill or elliptical, while readers can swap the couch with an exercise bike as their go-to reading spot. Doing so for as little as a half hour per day can help you get the recommended amount of daily exercise without taking up a large chunk of your time.

Read More

Adults across the globe lament a lack of time to curl up with a good book. But some brief reading before bed each night can help adults achieve this goal and can even improve their quality of sleep. In fact, a 2021 study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Trials found that reading in bed before going to sleep improved sleep quality compared to not reading a book in bed.

Journaling

Journaling is another worthy resolution that won’t take up much time. Individuals can take 15 minutes out of their day to write down their thoughts and feelings and reflect on the day’s comings and goings. That simple activity can produce profound results, as the University of Rochester Medical Center notes that journaling helps people prioritize their problems, fears and concerns; reduce stress; cope with depression; and identify negative thoughts and behaviors.

Become More Organized

This resolution won’t take up much of your time. In fact, becoming more organized should free up time. A lack of organization can make it harder to meet work deadlines, keep a house clean, tackle everyday tasks, and keep a clear mind. By taking steps to be more organized, whether that’s through using a daily organizer, avoiding procrastinating in regard to cleaning up around the house or other means, individuals will gradually discover they have more free time to use as they see fit.

New Year’s resolutions need not take much time. Busy individuals can keep that in mind as they look for ways to improve their lives in the year ahead.

Busy workdays are the norm for many professionals. Though most workers undoubtedly would prefer to feel busy rather than bored, it’s easy for professionals to succumb to burnout if they don’t get periodic breaks from the demands of their careers.

Burnout is a significant issue for working professionals. A recent survey of 1,500 working professionals from various sectors and backgrounds by the job aggregator site Indeed found that 52 percent of respondents were experiencing burnout in 2021. That marks a nearly 10 percent increase from a similar survey Indeed conducted prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Various factors, some of which are beyond individuals’ control, can contribute to burnout. Professionals who want to avoid burnout without taking a step back from their careers can look for ways to be more efficient during the day. Overcoming these common distractions can improve efficiency, which should help professionals free up time and reduce their risk of burnout.

Smartphones

A 2015 CareerBuilder survey of hiring and human resources managers from various industries found that employers cited smartphones and texting as the biggest productivity killers in the workplace. Professionals no doubt recognize how distracting their phones can be during the workday, and they may feel powerless to avoid them. But they’re not. Alter notification settings so the phone only delivers the most important notifications (i.e., children’s schools, meeting reminders, etc.) during the day. Turn off notifications from news, sports, and entertainment apps.

The Internet

The CareerBuilder survey found that employers believed the internet is the second biggest productivity killer. Professionals with a lot on their plates should do everything they can to avoid surfing the internet during the workday. The internet can be a rabbit hole, and even individuals who only intend to take a brief break from work to check the news or clear their head may soon find themselves moving from website to website while their work piles up. If it’s a mental break you need, get up and take a brief walk around the office instead of surfing the internet.

Emails

Emails are another significant distraction during a typical workday. To overcome the seemingly endless flood of emails coming from coworkers, friends, and family during the day, professionals can work in offline mode for a predetermined period of time each day. This affords the opportunity to work on specific tasks or projects without being interrupted by emails. Emails will still accumulate while the computer is in offline mode, but professionals won’t be notified as each message is delivered and will be able to work distraction-free until they turn offline mode off.

Meetings

Meetings may be well-intentioned, but they often compromise productivity and distract professionals from their jobs. A recent study titled “Meetings in America” commissioned by Verizon Conferencing found that 90 percent of professionals admitted to daydreaming during meetings, while 39 percent admitted they had fallen asleep during meetings in the past. Managers can help employees get more done and limit distractions by scheduling fewer meetings or reconsidering just who needs to attend meetings more carefully.

A distraction-free workday might seem unlikely, but professionals can take various steps to overcome the most common distractions in an effort to be more efficient.