Appraisals. Performance reviews. Time to put on your productivity hat and make sure you go above and beyond to get the best feedback – not to mention, the most money!

Times like these, being focused and at the top of your game is absolutely crucial. But are the distractions too hard to resist? No matter what field we may be in, our smart phones, fast Wi-Fi speeds, social apps, and on-demand entertainment (think Spotify and Netflix) make us less patient – and reduce our concentration spans. Our lives are shortened to a 10-second Instagram and Snapchat story – is that all that can hold our concentration nowadays? Although millennials are supposedly more reliant and tech-savvy, everyone who uses a variety of apps on smart phones may be affected.

People who live happy lives and have successful careers take a different approach. They don’t let their concentration be killed by a Facebook alert or an incoming email.

Here are the TOP FIVE distractions we should never succumb to, so that we can always present our best selves (and not get replaced by automated scripts – or newer, younger, cheaper recruit!)

1. 1000 Emails

Due to the constant stream of emails invading your inbox, it may soon become overwhelming. So most people reply and clear emails out as soon as they arrive. Although answering emails is ‘work’, it’s also a distraction. Ever wonder why it’s always such a rush to hit the deadline? Progress will be slow if you stop the task/project you are working on every 10 minutes to answer a few emails. You may be working, yes – but there’s no focus or productivity.

The Fix:

Plan out your work schedule. Decide every morning what are your 4 D’s – DO, DELEGATE, DEFER, DROP. Then map out your time accordingly, while including a specific time for responding to emails. This way, you create blocks of 100% concentration time to accomplish your work, and other times to respond to the flurry of emails.

2. Social Media

It’s so easy to connect with friends through the many, many social media channels – and connect frequently, countless times each hour. Each Twitter alert,  WhatsApp message, and Facebook status update zaps your focus. Every time you switch to social media, you get disconnected from work. And you have to backtrack in order to get back to work.

The Fix:

Don’t log into social media on your computer. Stop using WhatsApp. Turn off phone alerts, or put your phone on silent and away from your sight. If you are really addicted to social media, restrict the number of times you check it. Set goals – and only reward yourself when you have completed what you set out to do. For a more serious detox, turn off your mobile data and disconnect from the wifi.

3. Multitasking

Many people are becoming great multitaskers. Others have mastered the art already – messaging friends on their phone while playing games on their iPad and watching TV. But many researchers have found that we can only really focus on one task at one time. Switching from one thought to another minimises our best work, and it also takes up much of our time to re-focus and shift. We end up taking more time to do multiple things with poorer quality.

The Fix:

Simple: Stop multitasking. Do one task. Finish it. Reward yourself, celebrate, and then get on to the next task. If you really must multitask, ensure that those tasks are not urgent and not important. That way there’s no time pressure, nor is it essential to put out your best work.

4. Worry & Stress

With deadlines, bosses, clients, emails, family, responsibilities, bills, loans, housework, and more, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s stressful having so much on your plate. Maybe it was a conversation you had yesterday that you can’t get out of your head. With your mind going crazy, it can be hard to focus on the task at hand (“work”). As a result, your shoulders tense up, your breathing shallows, you feel your back or neck ache, and a headache coming on. The feeling of overwhelm and worry, or the physical manifestations of discomfort, can be powerful distractions.

The Fix:

462 Breathing. Five slow and easy breaths is the first place to start. Here’s how: Breathe in for a count of four. Breathe out for a count of six, then wait for a count of two before breathing in again. You can also learn stress reduction techniques like mindfulness meditation (and no, this does not have to be religious). The goal of this meditation is to clear the mind and free it from stress, worry, and negative thoughts. If you’re worried about forgetting chores or things to do, write them down. And if your stress is creating a bad back, causing headaches, or affecting your quality of sleep, see your chiropractor to get adjusted. Chiropractic adjustments delivered correctly help your body adapt and deal with stress so that your body can keep up with the lifestyle you choose.

5. Fatigue

No explanation should be required. When we’re fatigued, we are not our best self. Besides poor concentration and lack of focus, our memory and mood are usually atrocious. Fatigue is often associated with insomnia. Those at risk include people who worry (above), feel stressed, and exhibit signs of anxiety or depression.

The Fix:

A great day starts the night before. Having a great night ritual will play a big role in having an awesome next day. In order to wake up early feeling refreshed, energised and excited, we need quality sleep, and for a good amount of time. Researchers suggest between seven to nine hours though if you pay attention to your body, it will tell you how much optimal amount of sleep it is that you require. Chiropractic care can also help, especially for people who feel stressed and anxious, and cannot get a quality night’s rest. If you’re a night owl, and are most productive after midnight, yet need to wake early for meetings – change. Sure, breaking habits and creating new ones take effort and time, but ritual and consistency will get you there. It’s either that, or find a job that gives you flexibility of what time you need to wake up!

AND A BONUS ONE (SINCE WE’RE ALL GIVING BONUSES THIS MONTH):
6. Calls

Sad to say, most friends don’t call us anymore. 80%-90% of communication is through messenger apps. So when we receive a call, it’s hard to resist answering. Whether it’s a cold call from a telemarketer or an old friend, they’ve completely broken your concentration -and taken away the time spent chatting with them.

The Fix:

If you’re working on an important project, switch your phone on silent – no vibration too! That way, you resist the urge to answer, so that you can keep your momentum going. This is especially important if you receive many calls a day. You won’t get much done if you’re always on the phone. If you’ve scheduled your day, you’ll have scheduled a time for checking emails, making calls, and enjoying social media.

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