You may do it for the most innocent, valid and or even noble reason. Maybe you’re feeling a bit anxious about missing a message from your Mom about her doctor’s appointment or you just want to quickly check Instagram to see what a friend is up to. Regardless, once you interrupt your work for “just a moment” to check on something using a digital tool or platform, you’re quickly sliding down a really slippery slope.
Online sites, email, instant messaging and the like are awesome – until they aren’t. They can become a significant obstacle to getting your work done at the point where they become selfish time eaters … like those annoying little dudes on Pac Man (if you’re old or old school enough to relate) that just gobble things up relentlessly until the whole screen implodes and bam! You lose!
The Fallout From Loss of Focus
When you’re interrupted from whatever task or project you’re focused on, it takes your brain several minutes to get back to where you were before that “little” break. From there, it’s a downward spiral: You may become frustrated or irritated because you feel you’re not going to complete your work as well or as efficiently. And you’ll likely set yourself back from meeting deadlines for the rest of the day, week or even longer.
Solutions to Eliminate Distraction
Learn to shift how you use technology. Be more intentional about how and when you check into your digital tools. This will not only boost your productivity, but also help you feel better about your work – and your life in general.
- Set aside specific blocks of time to check in. Allow yourself the time you need – but no longer. Set an alarm if you need to, so you don’t fall right back into old habits.
- Take control of your notifications. You probably don’t need a ping every single time someone likes one of your Facebook posts, or even every time a coworker gives an update. Turn off all but the most critical notifications. You can catch up on the rest of the news later.
- Set up email filters and rules. Create filters to automatically sort through which messages you need to see immediately versus those that can wait.
- Take a “less is more” approach. Make sure all your social media content is relevant and worthwhile. Go through your list of follows and followers. If something is no longer a source of valuable content, unfollow it. Maybe even delete accounts on platforms you no longer use. Conversely, if there are accounts that could provide you with a ton of helpful information and links, follow them. It’s about quality, not quantity.
Nobody out there is busier or more prone to digital and other workday distractions than a recruiter who’s trying to balance a scary number of balls in the air on any given day. For additional advice on building your talent acquisition career, reach out to the Search Wizards team today. We’ll tap you into our extensive network of contacts and resources, tailored solely to your industry – which is our industry as well. Whatever else is on your seemingless bottomless to do list, stop for a minute and contact us to learn more.
