Productivity: Tips for Working From Home

Stay Focused

Practicing attention management is about maintaining control of where your attention goes during work hours, and recognising when it’s being stolen by external or internal distractions. 

Becoming aware of what is distracting you and acknowledging which distractions have become habits, is key to practicing attention management. Not all distractions are good.

First Steps

• Acknowledge what is distracting you. What is taking your attention right now?
• Take steps to redirect your attention
• Reward yourself with breaks and” treats”

COMMON  ATTENTION GRABBERS

Children, significant others or pets

• Communicate expectations with anyone who will be home with you
• Put up a sign, close a door, post your schedule on the door

Chores.

• Use these to your advantage without getting absorbed completely into the task. Such activities may provide some relief after spending time doing mostly brain work

Physical distractions e.g. social media, or even emails.

• Turn off your notifications so you can't be distracted by them
• Allocate specific times to check your phone and emails  (do so regularly throughout the day)

Thoughts.

• Instead of worrying or thinking about unproductive things. Do a combination of thoughtful planning and capitalizing on opportunities to take action
• Focus on positive things

Additional Tips

To better understand why you may be allowing your attention to be stolen, listen to Tedtalk by World Renowned Organisational Psychologist Adam Grant