Staying Focused and Disciplined at Work
Are you a professional such as a project manager, designer, or consultant looking to remain focused and disciplined at work? Then, you are not alone. With so much to do, it is easy to lose focus and get distracted.
You check the clock and realize that it is already 4 p.m. and you only have two hours left to get everything done. It can be stressful to remain productive day in and day out. However, remaining focused and disciplined at work has a huge impact on your career trajectory. You could make costly mistakes that put an end to your career. If you are looking for advice on how to boost productivity and focus at work, you have come to the right place.
Why Focus And Discipline Are Everything?
The ability to remain disciplined impacts the success of your organization. This is why it is important that you work on your focus and discipline. For instance, if you work in accounting and finance, the amount you achieve for clients would have a direct impact on the number of billable hours you charge for.
Professional ethics require you to maintain accurate time records no matter which field you might operate in.You cannot charge for three hours of labor if you wasted an hour browsing through social media. Being able to maintain focus helps boost your chances of ensuring financial security and winning that valuable promotion you had been eyeing for a long time.
According to experts, 70 to 80 percent of the market value of an organization is derived from intangibles such as reputation. Since your performance is your reputation, take a minute to think about what it says about you as a professional.
If coworkers or an employer considers you less-than-efficient, the stereotype could ruin your career and create challenges along the way which you will need to learn to overcome. It would only result in your colleagues moving up the career ladder while you continue working an entry-level position earning peanuts.
The lack of career advancement would eventually affect your self-esteem and make you hate working. With time, you would fall into a vicious cycle of depression and anxiety. Thus, your poor performance would only lead to termination.
Factors That Affect Your Focus and Discipline
There are certain factors that impact your focus and discipline at the organization which you need to be aware of as mentioned below.
1. External Noise
One of the main factors that influence your ability to remain focused and get things done is external noise.Anyone who works at an office knows that chatty coworkers can affect performance. A short coffee break can quickly turn into a lengthy session that leaves less time for you to complete your work. Similarly, screaming children and noisy television can affect your performance if you work remotely.
2. Social Media
Social media use can quickly eat up your valuable time. If you work on a laptop or desktop, you might fall into the habit of checking your social media notifications every few minutes. You might even check your phone constantly to keep up with social media. This would only result in you having less time to complete your work. The fact is that even momentary distractions can affect your focus and productivity.
3. Stress
A productivity vampire that you need to watch out for is anxiety. It can easily lead to a vicious cycle that prevents you from getting anything day. Thus, you would only end up feeling more stressed out. You are likely to find yourself falling into the habit of procrastinating your work and not doing anything.
Pragmatic Steps for Improving Focus
Focus is essential for work.Improving your focus and discipline at the organization will help you in ways that you cannot even imagine. So, what are the steps that you can take to boost productivity levels? The following actions will help eliminate vampires to ensure that you remain concentrated on your work.
1. Get Comfortable
Your productivity is likely to get affected by how your coworkers behave. When you focus on hunger or feeling cold, you lose focus on the task and fail to complete it. If you keep rubbing your hands to remain warm, you would be unable to calculate expenses or prepare a report.
Create a to-do list on your tablet or smartphone to manage everything. It will ensure that you are able to manage all your projects with ease. If it gets particularly chilly at work, you should bring a cardigan along. On the other hand, you would need a small portable air conditioner or a fan if you always feel warm and cannot concentrate.
2. Remove Distractions
Next, you need to shut out distractions. Only when you take proactive steps to shut out distractions can you stop them from derailing your concentration and productivity. Keep your smartphone away in the drawer or leave it in the backpack when you get to work.Otherwise, you would easily get distracted.
If you have no option but to keep your phone around such as in case someone needs to reach out to you, it is important that you disable auditory and visual notifications. This would ensure that you do not get tempted.
3. Prepare a List
Checking your email the first thing when you arrive at work is not the best idea unless you work in communication or human resources. The secret to remaining focused and disciplined is tackling the most challenging task first. It will help supercharge productivity.
After you overcome difficult tasks, everything else will go smoothly. Before you leave the office every day, you must prepare a to-do list for the next day. You can use an app to create a to-do list. Place those tasks at the top which would provide the most significant reward.
4. Schedule Breaks
Maintaining your focus is not easy. Since you are unlikely to stay focused uninterrupted, you need to schedule breaks from time to time. Successful people know just how important it is to take a break. It is what sets them apart. When you take some time out for yourself every now and then, you get to better manage your time.
We all are humans and need to rest to stay focused. Besides, regular breaks improve your discipline and focus. In addition to this, you would also feel creative once you are done with the break. All you need to do is get up every hour to take a short walk.Otherwise, you can always have a cup of tea or stretch.
Develop the Right Habits for Discipline
Maintaining discipline and focus at work can be quite challenging, especially if you do not feel your best.There are certain healthy personal habits that you can adopt for top-notch performance.
1. Exercise Regularly
According to research, working out regularly increases overall productivity. When you exercise, endorphins are released into your bloodstream which has an opioid-like effect. You can rely on these feel-good chemicals for feeling empowered and increasing energy.
Rather than smoking during the break, it is best that you go for a short walk to get refreshed. Make sure that you engage in cardiovascular exercise for at least half an hour every day. It is not necessary that you join a gym. What you can do is dance in your bedroom while listening to feel-good music. It is also a good idea to consider housecleaning to get your blood flowing.
2. Prepare Healthy Meals
A lack of focus and a depressed mood are signs of poor nutrition. If you develop a mineral deficiency, your brain would be affected. Therefore, you must take some time out to prepare healthy meals during your days off or the weekend.
When you prepare something healthy that you can munch on instantly, you get to ensure that you do not head to the drive-thru. In addition to this, you should consider eating less so that you do not get drowsy at work. Overeating is something that you need to avoid at all costs.
3. Maintain Good Sleep Hygiene
It is impossible to maintain focus when you need a break. Maintaining positive sleep hygiene is necessary for sustainable energy throughout the day. Make sure to go to sleep early and get up at the same time daily even if it is the weekend.
When you go to bed, you must keep electronics out of reach since they emit blue light which interrupts your natural sleep cycle. If you live in a city that has high light pollution, you will need blackout curtains.
4. Manage Anxiety
Practice yoga and mindfulness meditation to tame the pain in your brain. If you cannot stop overthinking, you might require professional help. Your insurance company can suggest some good licensed therapists. Consider undergoing therapy to regain control over negative thoughts.
Stay Focused and Disciplined and Lead the Best Life
By improving your focus and discipline, you can take your professional career to the next level. Take control of habits to improve your overall wellbeing. Shut out distractions, develop personal discipline, and take care of yourself to unleash your full potential.
