Losing focus at work is a pervasive problem and a huge waste of money for employers. What can you do to prevent this? If sheer willpower doesn’t cut it, there are a variety of online tools to help you take control of distractions. You can block distracting sites on your computer using services like Freedom. If you want to take a less extreme approach, consider RescueTime – this service tracks your computer usage and creates reports showing how you spend your time. Whatever your method of choice may be, cutting out time-wasting activities can greatly increase your productivity at work.
When I started selling professionally, my mentor and boss told me to do nothing other than selling in “prime selling hours.” No newspaper reading. No checkbook balancing. No personal calling. Not even deal paperwork. That could all be done outside the window of “prime selling time.”
An article from FastCompany called, “Surprisingly Simple Ways You Can Trick Your Brain into Focusing” suggests “The Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART) Approach”, a research-based brain training program that focuses on strategic thinking, integration, and mental flexibility to improve the brain’s ability to think.
For those of you who are tickled by the prospect of tricking your brain back into focusing, I highly recommend reading this article.
