Social media and the internet have a chokehold on today’s society, which makes it hard to actually sit down and focus on work. Even some of the most focused people can easily stray from the path. All it takes is for someone to text you a video or live stream and now you’re suddenly behind on what you needed to do.

Although it does take work from the person trying to remain focused, there are ways that can help aid in getting rid of those distractions! Keep reading below if you’d like to find different ways to help avoid online distractions and focus for a successful work day!

1. Make a list

When you’re making a list, it allows you to write everything down that you need to get done for the day. Knowing what you need to do for the day keeps you from straying off the path, which helps you become more productive. It’s helpful to also put the tasks in order from more important to least important. The most important task is often the one we choose to do last because it takes the most work, but it’s better to get it out of the way so that you can focus on flying through the rest.

2. Put your phone away

Cell phones are one of the easiest ways to get distracted because it’s right there at your fingertips. Placing your phone in an area where you can’t see it keeps you from grabbing it whenever you start to stray from your work or get bored. It’s okay to take it out during a break, but when it needs to be put up when it’s time to work. I’m also aware that if your favorite app has a website, you could easily just type explore it on your computer. However, most people prefer to use apps versus websites which may help straying off seem a little less desirable.

3. Complete one task at a time

As quickly as you may want to get work done or think you can multitask well, trying to take on too much work at one time can overwhelm you. Once you feel overwhelmed, you may no longer have the desire to get work done and can easily lean into those distractions. Take on each task one at a time so that you can thoroughly get it done. You may surprise yourself and realize that you’re able to get a task done quicker by solely focusing on it before moving to the next thing.

4. Take breaks

Your brain needs breaks in order to give it time to rest from all of the work you’ve done so far. By not giving your brain a break, it could cause burnout because it’s overworked and potentially overwhelmed if you’re not focusing on one task at a time. A good way to help, so that you’re not taking too long of a break or working too long without a break, is to set a timer. One technique that’s popular for time management is the Pomodoro technique.

5. Use extensions to block distractions

Lastly, as mentioned earlier when discussing putting your phones away, you can easily just go on the website of your favorite app and become distracted from doing your work. Extensions are the best way to keep that from happening! There are plenty of extensions you can put on your computer that help block out or lock websites for a certain amount of time, preventing you from going on them. Now, you won’t have those distractions and can focus on your tasks.

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These aren’t guaranteed to keep you from getting distracted, ultimately that takes you and your level of discipline, but they do help. In an era where everything is happening online, it’s a little harder to stay focused on your tasks without that feeling of “FOMO”, but following this can help provide the best of both worlds!

Do you have a tip on how to avoid online distractions? Let’s discuss in the comments!