Here’s an interesting statistic from the University of California, Irvine:

Once interrupted, it takes an average of over 23 minutes to get back to the task at hand.

23 minutes!

And here’s another one from the McKinsey Global Institute:

The average person spends 13 hours (a full 28 percent) of their workweek reading, deleting sorting and sending emails.

28 percent!

Given the interruptions and time-wasters the average worker deals with every day, it’s a miracle they get anything accomplished in the office.

Obviously, it’s virtually impossible to completely eliminate distractions at work. Customers need attention. Emails have to be answered. And some meetings are absolutely mandatory. But despite the realities of today’s “interruption culture,” there ARE ways you can boost your productivity and focus at work. Today, Exact Staff shares four ways to minimize distractions in the office – and get more done:

• Plan for interruptions. Instead of letting distractions control your day, take control of them. Schedule those unavoidable interruptions – things like answering emails, returning phone calls and socializing – at pre-determined times. When you have a scheduled time planned for each task, it frees you to focus on other priorities for the rest of the day.
• Control your physical environment. Open windows on your computer, a cluttered desk and chirping notifications contribute to chaos. When you need to focus, create a more serene environment for yourself. Silence and hide your phone. Turn off notifications. Neaten your desk and your computer.
• Schedule distractions. Some interruptions can actually improve productivity! In this earlier post, we explain “microbursts” – and how scheduling “distraction time” can help your brain to rapidly restore a high level of function. Even a simple two-minute microburst can provide enough of a break to boost your focus, attention and productivity.
• Improve meeting planning. Notorious time-wasters, meetings provide immense opportunity for increasing productivity. When you plan multiple meetings, schedule them back-to-back (to minimize downtime in between). Distribute a clear agenda (at least 24 hours in advance) with discussion items, required preparation, and a rough timeline, so that everyone gets the greatest return on their invested time.

Removing yourself from distractions in the office is a great way to improve productivity, but sometimes you need extra help to get things done. Exact Staff is here for you!

As a leading national employment agency, we provide a range of staffing and placement services to improve focus. Eliminate busywork. Save time and money. And relieve administrative burdens that slow you down. Give us a call to find out what we can do for you.