Employee Distractions Reaching Epidemic Levels
Attention Deficit
62% say they’ve been distracted from doing work on their computers by checking e-mails, browsing the Web and engaging with social media.
Clock Mismanagement
36% say these distractions cost them more than an hour each day in lost productivity.
Second Thoughts
59% admit that the reduction in productivity causes them dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
Senior Moment
63% say they’ll lose their chain of thought because they were checking on e-mail or social media when they were supposed to be working on something substantial.
Rash Decision
53% feel that checking their e-mail and social media while trying to get work finished reveals a worrying lack of impulse control.
Offline Session
71% think they’d get more done if they could disconnect from the Internet for a period of time every day.
Best Practices for Staying Focused: A Daily To-Do List
Always keep a list of what must be accomplished today in front of you, like on the side of your computer screen.
Best Practices for Staying Focused: Do the Tough Stuff First
Whittle down that to-do list by tackling the toughest jobs first. You’re at your most productive during the first hour of work every day.
Best Practices for Staying Focused: Set Boundaries With Others
The only way to get people to stop pestering you with distracting e-mails and social-media postings is to politely make it clear that you need to focus on your duties and can’t respond until later.
Best Practices for Staying Focused: Press the Mute Button
We often let e-mail and social media sidetrack us whenever we hear that alert “ding.” So silence the computer and other devices—and get your work done.
Best Practices for Staying Focused: Organize Your E-mails
Have a separate account for work and another for your personal life—and use only the work one during work hours.
