Tips to Minimize Distractions and Get More Productive

In this video we highlight 13 things you can do to turn down the noise and distractions and actually get more done in your business.

Are you working smarter, working on the right things, looking after yourself, and continuing to invest in yourself!

Don't just be busy for busy's sake. Get productive by working on the right things and minimizing those things that simply suck our efficiency away on a daily basis.

Pro Tip

Your worth doesn't come from your busy calendar, or the position that you have, or the money and the possessions that you have, so stop being distracted by chasing after those and commit to yourself and your business.

(Read the Full Transcript Here)

It is true that most people get derailed and distracted at least two hours a day. That's 14 hours each week or about 56 hours per month. That's more than the average work week. That equates to 728 hours a year that we get distracted from the task at hand.

What would your business look like with an extra

728 productive hours this year. 

Hi, I'm Melissa with RodgerandMelissa.com and today we are going to look at 12 things that you can do to be more productive, have more success, and turn down the noise in this highly digitized, immediate response, fast-paced world. Let's get started.

You know that we all need to turn down the noise and the distractions until they are low enough and long enough to get things done. Now, not just talking about the digital distractions, if you own your own business or if you're a professional, you should already be really good at turning off your phone, your notifications, when you are working.

But really what I wanna talk about today is those other things, those less obvious distractions. Like wanting to project an appearance of success or getting those not so important small tasks accomplished just so that you can feel more accomplished and moving that allure of progress.

Here is something to consider. Your worth doesn't come from your busy calendar or the position that you have or the money and the possessions that you have, so stop being distracted by chasing after those and commit to yourself and your business.

There are two things that you need to know before we get started. You need to, number one, identify the distractions. Are you trying to keep up with appearances? Are you being busy for the sake of being busy 'cause it looks good?

And number two, what are they distracting you from? Now this is where the vital growth strategies come in. If you don't know what you're being distracted from, those things that you are not getting accomplished because you can't stay focused and immersed long enough to get it done, you're not doing yourself any favors. Know what it's keeping you from.

Once you identify and pinpoint the distractions, you can take action. Stay til the end and I will share with you a few of my calendaring tips and tricks as well. Okay, so let's take a look at some noise canceling, distraction-killing habits that you can easily start implementing today.

Number one, pay attention to and influence yourself. Ask yourself a few questions. Why am I doing this? Why did I say yes? Could someone else do this better than me?

And number two, consider hiring help. A virtual assistant, someone to clean your house, anything that can help you stay more on task.

Number three, meal prep for easier dinner times during the work week.

Number four, know what drives you. This is really important. Find that why. Your big overarching, legacy-leaving why. Then, make your decisions based on the activities that continue to move you towards that goal.

Number five, calendar block. I can't say it enough, calendar block. Even put on there, time to scroll Facebook and social media or time to walk the dog. Be sure to give yourself a set time each day for communication. Returning phone calls, answering emails, this way you won't feel obligated to immediately respond sporadically throughout the day. Most things can wait and if they can't, they will call you.

Number six, make a daily not to do list. So, write down everything you need to get done then choose the top five in priority and put the rest on your not to do today list. They will all eventually surface to the top.

Number seven, get your least favorite thing done first that way you're not distracted and creating activities all day long hoping that that least favorite task will just miraculously get done on its own.

Number eight, no multi-tasking and do not have a shiny object syndrome. Multi-tasking produces mediocre results at best. It's inefficient and the results usually lacks quality, creativity, and innovation. So switching tasks and frequent interruptions are mentally exhausting and even physically exhausting and it derails all of your thought energy. This actually wastes time and actually decreases your productivity.

Number nine, have a copy collection. This is what we call a set of phrases and templates and paragraphs that you use frequently for information and ways to talk to people that way your time is used efficiently and the responses are already well thought out, ready to be delivered in the most accurate, creative, and effective way that they can.

Number 10, do your work in sprints, not a marathon. Work about 15 to 35 minutes and then take a five or 15 minute timeout. Move around, go for a walk, watch a little piece of your favorite TV show that you DVR'ed. Just take a mental and a physical break from your work.

Number 11, be a constant learner of yourself, influence yourself. Get quiet and really listen and contemplate, reflect on the day and the week and your goals. Silence can really be deafening for some people but really embrace it and flip the negative to a positive and find your distractions.

Number 12, continue your professional and your personal development. Think about it, almost every profession, the medical profession, legal industry, real estate industry, financial industry, they all have mandatory continuing education that they have to complete every year. So what have you done this year or even last year to continue to stay at the top of your industry? Invest in you and your business. Take a class, get a coach, do something.

Number 13, live your life, take a break, press pause on your business and enjoy a day off or a vacation. Even just an extended weekend.

Now, as promised for sticking around, I will share a few of my calendaring tips. First, I set myself up for 10 at 10. I give myself 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening to check social media.

I also schedule my networking or event follow-up as an actual time block on my calendar for one hour within 36 hours of the event. That way I don't let anyone fall through the cracks and they're really excited because most people don't follow-up with them.

For more tips and tricks, you might check out our video on calendar blocking. You know, I even put the small things on my calendar that way if I think of a task that I need to accomplish but it really doesn't have any urgency, I place it on the calendar for later that week or even the next that way when I think of it again, like oh gosh, I need to do my QuickBooks or I need to reconcile my checkbook or schedule those doctors appointments or whatever it is, the minute I think of it, I can just calm myself and stay focused on what I'm doing because I know that I already have it on the calendar for a different day and it will get done.

Now, if you haven't subscribed, be sure to do that today and also hop on over to Facebook and join our new community at Rodger and Melissa. It's got a D in Rodger, don't forget. So as always, here's to you and here's to your business.

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