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It’s who-knows-what day of social distancing and, if you’re like many people, you’re struggling to keep yourself focused. You may have started this work-from-home experiment with high hopes of calibrating both your work responsibilities and your downtime aspirations, but instead, you’re just plain distracted.
The logistics of finding a comfortable space, carving out time to concentrate, and making it clear to your roommates/spouse/children that you are working is a painstakingly learned art, rather than a formulaic science.
Moreover, amid the current COVID- 19 crisis, our definitions of productivity are going through a transformation. A lack of physical office space and casual conversations has collapsed the normal structure of what keeps us collectively on task, or what some experts call “private paternalism1.”
Looking to master your focus and cut out all those remote-work distractions? The following expert tips will steer you in the right direction.
Fight the urge to multitask
There are a million distractions when you are hunkered down at home—that pile of dishes from this morning, the siren call of Netflix on your computer, and, scattered around you, your devices buzz with notifications.
But when you get down to it, not all of these distractions are important. More likely, your mind is assigning significance to tasks and activities that should be several notches down on your to-do list.
Curt Steinhorst, author of Can I Have Your Attention?, previously told Fast Company that “distraction is actually just confusion about what matters.”
People prone to constant multitasking are not, as assumed, short on attention, but more likely need to improve their prioritization skills. If this sounds like you, pinpoint your most important tasks and make sure you address them before the day is over.
Schedule your time
An extension of prioritizing, clearly attributing time for tasks is one way to limit distractions. If you break down your day into defined blocks of time, you’re less likely to get distracted.
To excel at this, allow yourself a mix of both work and social interactions. Fill your day with a mix of practical check-ins with your employees or managers—but also include time to socialize with coworkers. Casual run-ins with colleagues are now missing, so you may have to be intentional about making up the difference by piping up on Slack2, or taking a walk and calling your mom. Let go of what you can’t control
Live and let live. This tip may seem out of a self-help book, but it applies to time management just as much as shedding emotional baggage.
As Kyle Cease, author of I Hope I Screw This Up: How Falling in Love with Your Fears Can Change the World, told Fast Company, the more you try to exert control over something completely out of your hands, the more stress you will feel.
To avoid these uncomfortable feelings, your mind will seek out distractions. Sometimes this will mean diving into a huge time-waster that leaves you confused at how you ended up off task for hours. Says Cease, “Something outside of you is pulling you away from yourself or a goal. But the distraction is actually on the inside.” By letting go of what you can’t control, you will “open yourself up to opportunities.”
Warm up your brain
It’s okay to need some time before you get started checking things off your to-do list. If you allow your brain to warm up a bit before “eating the frog,” you’ll feel more motivated and less tempted by distractions.
Aaron Britt, who leads the editor-ial team at Herman Miller3, told Fast Company that he and his coworkers always start the day with a few rounds of a word game before diving into their need-to-do’s. Granted, Britt points out the game delivers very little output, but what it does do is maximize a time of the day where distraction can easily swoop in.
Establish clear boundaries
Do external forces—such as in-person office meetings—usually help dictate your schedule? If so, develop strict parameters for yourself when working from home, focusing on guarding the time when you’re “on the clock.”
Consider what characteristics of the office suit you best, and adapt them to your new work space. This can apply to the organization of your home office, or how you set expectations with family or roommates.
Laura Stack, the founder of the Productivity Pro4, says personal quirks are important. She tells Fast Company to “create and maintain the boundaries that will acknowledge your personality and allow you to be your best.”
Along with your space, consider the times when you are naturally most productive. Career coach Elizabeth Whittaker-Walker says, “If your freshest thinking is before noon, save meetings or intense work periods for the first part of the day. Cross off the day’s objectives as you complete them.”
Know your triggers To that point, be aware of certain workplace stressors, which trigger your most time-wasting behaviors. Oftentimes, you’re not able to recognize these stressful emotions immediately, so pose a few helpful questions to yourself, such as “What was it that stressed me out just now?” and “What am I trying to avoid here?” A purposeful amount of self-reflection will prevent you from falling down a rabbit hole of YouTube playlists instead.
Turn off your devices for deep focus
If you’re prone to reach for devices when the stress sets in, try your best to create safeguards to ensure you aren’t tempted by technology.
This can be particularly difficult when working from home, considering it’s all on you to fight off these urges. Michael Dermer, founder of the Lonely Entrepreneur5, previously told Fast Company, “You have to bring the discipline to keep these distractions away from you at home just like you would in the office.”
Listen to your body
Just as there are times when you are at your best, there are times when you genuinely hit a wall. Eliminating distractions can come down to knowing when you’re no longer able to focus. So when your body feels less than energetic and your brain has reached its limit, listen.
Colin Doherty, CEO of software platform Fuze6, told Fast Company that it’s important to pay attention to when it’s time to wind down, since your body needs time to reset for the more productive hours: “Being engaged is very important, but taking time to decompress can help you make your time online more valuable.”
這是要保持社交距离的浑噩日子,天晓得怎么回事,也许你和很多人一样难以集中注意力。你可能怀着能平衡好工作与业余生活的热切希望,开始试着居家办公。但事与愿违,你完全心不在焉。
找到一方舒适的空间,留出专心做事的时间,明确告知室友、伴侣或孩子你在工作,这一系列的统筹安排是一门需费神学习的艺术,而不是固定程式的科学。
此外,在新冠肺炎危机的当下,我们对生产力的定义正在发生转变。没有了实体办公空间和闲谈,集体办公的正常体系或某些专家所说的“私人家长制”已然失效。
想要掌控注意力,排除远程办公的一切干扰?下面这些专业建议将指引你至正确方向。
拒绝一心多用
宅在家里,干扰数不胜数——吃完早饭的盘子,电脑上奈飞的诱人召唤,还有四周电子设备推送消息的嗡嗡声。
但若开始认真做事,你会发现并非所有干扰都重要。很可能是你的大脑将待办事项清单上原本靠下的任务和活动的重要性提升了。
《请注意》的作者库尔特·施泰因霍斯特早前告诉《快公司》杂志记者,“分心其实只是分不清任务主次”。
不同于人们所想,经常一心多用并不是因为缺乏专注力,更有可能是因为有待提高分清主次的技能。如果你正是这样,那就明确最重要的任务并确保当天完成。
合理安排时间
在分清任务主次之外,明确设定每项任务的时间也是一种减少分心的方法。若将一天划分成各个明确的时间段,就会减少分心的可能。
要做好这一点,你应工作与社交兼顾。一天中既与下属或经理在社交网络上实际沟通,也花时间与同事交往。居家办公无法与同事随时随地争辩几句,因而你可能不得不有意在Slack上聊天,或是一边散步一边给母亲打电话,以此弥补这一不足。
放手无法掌控的事物
待人宽如待己。这句话听起来似乎出自某本励志类图书,但这个道理不仅适用于摆脱情感包袱,在时间管理上同样有效。
如《希望我搞砸了:爱上恐惧会如何改变世界》的作者凯尔·西斯接受《快公司》采访时所说,你越想掌控某样你全然无力掌控的东西,你的压力就越大。 为了避免这些令人不适的压力感,大脑会物色分散注意力的事物。有时候这意味着你会沉迷于枉费大量时间的活动,浑然不知自己开了数小时的小差。西斯说:“某种外界事物使你远离自我或目标,但分心的诱因其实在内部。”放手掌控不了的事物,你就能“迎来机遇”。
给大脑“预热”
执行待办事项前需要一定的时间做准备是可以的。在“啃硬骨头”前,若让大脑“预热”一下,你将更有动力,对干扰更有抵抗力。
赫曼米勒公司的编辑团队负责人阿伦·布里特告诉《快公司》,他和同事在一天开始时,总会先玩几局填词游戏,再着手处理待办事项。的确,布里特表示玩这个游戏没什么成果可言,但它确实让人充分利用了一天中最容易分心的那段时间。
设定明确的规范
你的时间安排通常取决于外在因素,如面对面办公室会议吗?若是,居家办公时为自己设定严格的规范,在工作时尊重时间观念。
考虑办公室的哪些特点最适合你,将其改用于自己新的工作空间。这一点适用于布置居家办公环境,或者设定对家人或室友的期望。
“生产力专家”的創始人劳拉·斯塔克表示,个人习性很重要。她告诉《快公司》,要“设定和坚守那些适合个人习性并能让自己做到最好的规范”。
除了营造工作环境,还要找到自然状态下工作效率最高的时间段。就业指导伊丽莎白·惠特克-沃克表示,“若你在中午前思路最清晰,那就在上午完成会议或最繁重的工作。完成当日目标后就在清单上划掉它们。”
识别压力源
对于这一点,要意识到某些职场压力源,它们会导致你做出最浪费时间的举动。很多时候,你并不能立即识别这些紧张情绪,那么问问自己,“刚才是什么让我焦虑不安?”“我在试图逃避什么?”这样的问题会有所助益。进行一定量目标明确的自我反省将防止你陷入优兔播放列表而难以自拔。
关掉电子设备以全神贯注
如果压力来袭时,你总是不由自主地拿起电子设备,就要尽力找出应对措施,确保自己不受技术引诱。
由于克制这些冲动完全依靠自身,居家办公时做到这一点就尤其困难。“孤独创业者”创始人迈克尔·德尔默曾向《快公司》表示:“居家办公时要像在办公室一样,必须保持自律,以免分心。”
听身体的话
有时候你精力充沛,同样,有时你确实也会疲惫不堪。知道自己何时注意力无法再集中,这可以排除一些干扰。就是说,感到自己精力不济,大脑已达极限时,听身体的话,就此打住。
软件平台Fuze的首席执行官科林·多尔蒂告诉《快公司》,注意什么时候该放松很重要,因为你的身体需要时间恢复,以便拥有更高效的工作时间。他说:“专注非常重要,但留出时间减压可让线上时间更高效。”
(译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者)
1 private paternalism私人家长制,也称责任制,这一工作形式以小组为单位,设定目标、划定时间节点、进行日常汇报、追踪任务进度、评估员工表现等,每个项目都责任到人,可有效监督员工,提升其自控力。
2一款兼具聊天、大规模工具集成、文件整合及统一搜索的软件。
3总部设在美国密歇根州,始于1905年,最初是一家生产传统家具的公司,后来逐渐发展成美国现代家具设计与生产中心。它是美国最主要的家具与室内设计厂商之一。
4位于美国丹佛的一家国际咨询公司,一直在为《财富》500强企业和其他机构,特别是高压力行业提供生产力方面的咨询。内容涉及减少信息超载、多重任务管理、平衡工作与家庭、增加条理性、减少压力等。
5创立于2015年,主要向创业者提供支持,其宗旨是释放全球创业者的潜力,帮助创业者将激情转化为成功。其创始人还创作了公司同名畅销书,该公司也创立了同名在线学习社区平台,以便为所有创业者面临的商业和个人问题提供解决方案。 6总部位于美国马萨诸塞州波士顿,主要业务为基于云的通信系统。
The logistics of finding a comfortable space, carving out time to concentrate, and making it clear to your roommates/spouse/children that you are working is a painstakingly learned art, rather than a formulaic science.
Moreover, amid the current COVID- 19 crisis, our definitions of productivity are going through a transformation. A lack of physical office space and casual conversations has collapsed the normal structure of what keeps us collectively on task, or what some experts call “private paternalism1.”
Looking to master your focus and cut out all those remote-work distractions? The following expert tips will steer you in the right direction.
Fight the urge to multitask
There are a million distractions when you are hunkered down at home—that pile of dishes from this morning, the siren call of Netflix on your computer, and, scattered around you, your devices buzz with notifications.
But when you get down to it, not all of these distractions are important. More likely, your mind is assigning significance to tasks and activities that should be several notches down on your to-do list.
Curt Steinhorst, author of Can I Have Your Attention?, previously told Fast Company that “distraction is actually just confusion about what matters.”
People prone to constant multitasking are not, as assumed, short on attention, but more likely need to improve their prioritization skills. If this sounds like you, pinpoint your most important tasks and make sure you address them before the day is over.
Schedule your time
An extension of prioritizing, clearly attributing time for tasks is one way to limit distractions. If you break down your day into defined blocks of time, you’re less likely to get distracted.
To excel at this, allow yourself a mix of both work and social interactions. Fill your day with a mix of practical check-ins with your employees or managers—but also include time to socialize with coworkers. Casual run-ins with colleagues are now missing, so you may have to be intentional about making up the difference by piping up on Slack2, or taking a walk and calling your mom. Let go of what you can’t control
Live and let live. This tip may seem out of a self-help book, but it applies to time management just as much as shedding emotional baggage.
As Kyle Cease, author of I Hope I Screw This Up: How Falling in Love with Your Fears Can Change the World, told Fast Company, the more you try to exert control over something completely out of your hands, the more stress you will feel.
To avoid these uncomfortable feelings, your mind will seek out distractions. Sometimes this will mean diving into a huge time-waster that leaves you confused at how you ended up off task for hours. Says Cease, “Something outside of you is pulling you away from yourself or a goal. But the distraction is actually on the inside.” By letting go of what you can’t control, you will “open yourself up to opportunities.”
Warm up your brain
It’s okay to need some time before you get started checking things off your to-do list. If you allow your brain to warm up a bit before “eating the frog,” you’ll feel more motivated and less tempted by distractions.
Aaron Britt, who leads the editor-ial team at Herman Miller3, told Fast Company that he and his coworkers always start the day with a few rounds of a word game before diving into their need-to-do’s. Granted, Britt points out the game delivers very little output, but what it does do is maximize a time of the day where distraction can easily swoop in.
Establish clear boundaries
Do external forces—such as in-person office meetings—usually help dictate your schedule? If so, develop strict parameters for yourself when working from home, focusing on guarding the time when you’re “on the clock.”
Consider what characteristics of the office suit you best, and adapt them to your new work space. This can apply to the organization of your home office, or how you set expectations with family or roommates.
Laura Stack, the founder of the Productivity Pro4, says personal quirks are important. She tells Fast Company to “create and maintain the boundaries that will acknowledge your personality and allow you to be your best.”
Along with your space, consider the times when you are naturally most productive. Career coach Elizabeth Whittaker-Walker says, “If your freshest thinking is before noon, save meetings or intense work periods for the first part of the day. Cross off the day’s objectives as you complete them.”
Know your triggers To that point, be aware of certain workplace stressors, which trigger your most time-wasting behaviors. Oftentimes, you’re not able to recognize these stressful emotions immediately, so pose a few helpful questions to yourself, such as “What was it that stressed me out just now?” and “What am I trying to avoid here?” A purposeful amount of self-reflection will prevent you from falling down a rabbit hole of YouTube playlists instead.
Turn off your devices for deep focus
If you’re prone to reach for devices when the stress sets in, try your best to create safeguards to ensure you aren’t tempted by technology.
This can be particularly difficult when working from home, considering it’s all on you to fight off these urges. Michael Dermer, founder of the Lonely Entrepreneur5, previously told Fast Company, “You have to bring the discipline to keep these distractions away from you at home just like you would in the office.”
Listen to your body
Just as there are times when you are at your best, there are times when you genuinely hit a wall. Eliminating distractions can come down to knowing when you’re no longer able to focus. So when your body feels less than energetic and your brain has reached its limit, listen.
Colin Doherty, CEO of software platform Fuze6, told Fast Company that it’s important to pay attention to when it’s time to wind down, since your body needs time to reset for the more productive hours: “Being engaged is very important, but taking time to decompress can help you make your time online more valuable.”
這是要保持社交距离的浑噩日子,天晓得怎么回事,也许你和很多人一样难以集中注意力。你可能怀着能平衡好工作与业余生活的热切希望,开始试着居家办公。但事与愿违,你完全心不在焉。
找到一方舒适的空间,留出专心做事的时间,明确告知室友、伴侣或孩子你在工作,这一系列的统筹安排是一门需费神学习的艺术,而不是固定程式的科学。
此外,在新冠肺炎危机的当下,我们对生产力的定义正在发生转变。没有了实体办公空间和闲谈,集体办公的正常体系或某些专家所说的“私人家长制”已然失效。
想要掌控注意力,排除远程办公的一切干扰?下面这些专业建议将指引你至正确方向。
拒绝一心多用
宅在家里,干扰数不胜数——吃完早饭的盘子,电脑上奈飞的诱人召唤,还有四周电子设备推送消息的嗡嗡声。
但若开始认真做事,你会发现并非所有干扰都重要。很可能是你的大脑将待办事项清单上原本靠下的任务和活动的重要性提升了。
《请注意》的作者库尔特·施泰因霍斯特早前告诉《快公司》杂志记者,“分心其实只是分不清任务主次”。
不同于人们所想,经常一心多用并不是因为缺乏专注力,更有可能是因为有待提高分清主次的技能。如果你正是这样,那就明确最重要的任务并确保当天完成。
合理安排时间
在分清任务主次之外,明确设定每项任务的时间也是一种减少分心的方法。若将一天划分成各个明确的时间段,就会减少分心的可能。
要做好这一点,你应工作与社交兼顾。一天中既与下属或经理在社交网络上实际沟通,也花时间与同事交往。居家办公无法与同事随时随地争辩几句,因而你可能不得不有意在Slack上聊天,或是一边散步一边给母亲打电话,以此弥补这一不足。
放手无法掌控的事物
待人宽如待己。这句话听起来似乎出自某本励志类图书,但这个道理不仅适用于摆脱情感包袱,在时间管理上同样有效。
如《希望我搞砸了:爱上恐惧会如何改变世界》的作者凯尔·西斯接受《快公司》采访时所说,你越想掌控某样你全然无力掌控的东西,你的压力就越大。 为了避免这些令人不适的压力感,大脑会物色分散注意力的事物。有时候这意味着你会沉迷于枉费大量时间的活动,浑然不知自己开了数小时的小差。西斯说:“某种外界事物使你远离自我或目标,但分心的诱因其实在内部。”放手掌控不了的事物,你就能“迎来机遇”。
给大脑“预热”
执行待办事项前需要一定的时间做准备是可以的。在“啃硬骨头”前,若让大脑“预热”一下,你将更有动力,对干扰更有抵抗力。
赫曼米勒公司的编辑团队负责人阿伦·布里特告诉《快公司》,他和同事在一天开始时,总会先玩几局填词游戏,再着手处理待办事项。的确,布里特表示玩这个游戏没什么成果可言,但它确实让人充分利用了一天中最容易分心的那段时间。
设定明确的规范
你的时间安排通常取决于外在因素,如面对面办公室会议吗?若是,居家办公时为自己设定严格的规范,在工作时尊重时间观念。
考虑办公室的哪些特点最适合你,将其改用于自己新的工作空间。这一点适用于布置居家办公环境,或者设定对家人或室友的期望。
“生产力专家”的創始人劳拉·斯塔克表示,个人习性很重要。她告诉《快公司》,要“设定和坚守那些适合个人习性并能让自己做到最好的规范”。
除了营造工作环境,还要找到自然状态下工作效率最高的时间段。就业指导伊丽莎白·惠特克-沃克表示,“若你在中午前思路最清晰,那就在上午完成会议或最繁重的工作。完成当日目标后就在清单上划掉它们。”
识别压力源
对于这一点,要意识到某些职场压力源,它们会导致你做出最浪费时间的举动。很多时候,你并不能立即识别这些紧张情绪,那么问问自己,“刚才是什么让我焦虑不安?”“我在试图逃避什么?”这样的问题会有所助益。进行一定量目标明确的自我反省将防止你陷入优兔播放列表而难以自拔。
关掉电子设备以全神贯注
如果压力来袭时,你总是不由自主地拿起电子设备,就要尽力找出应对措施,确保自己不受技术引诱。
由于克制这些冲动完全依靠自身,居家办公时做到这一点就尤其困难。“孤独创业者”创始人迈克尔·德尔默曾向《快公司》表示:“居家办公时要像在办公室一样,必须保持自律,以免分心。”
听身体的话
有时候你精力充沛,同样,有时你确实也会疲惫不堪。知道自己何时注意力无法再集中,这可以排除一些干扰。就是说,感到自己精力不济,大脑已达极限时,听身体的话,就此打住。
软件平台Fuze的首席执行官科林·多尔蒂告诉《快公司》,注意什么时候该放松很重要,因为你的身体需要时间恢复,以便拥有更高效的工作时间。他说:“专注非常重要,但留出时间减压可让线上时间更高效。”
(译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者)
1 private paternalism私人家长制,也称责任制,这一工作形式以小组为单位,设定目标、划定时间节点、进行日常汇报、追踪任务进度、评估员工表现等,每个项目都责任到人,可有效监督员工,提升其自控力。
2一款兼具聊天、大规模工具集成、文件整合及统一搜索的软件。
3总部设在美国密歇根州,始于1905年,最初是一家生产传统家具的公司,后来逐渐发展成美国现代家具设计与生产中心。它是美国最主要的家具与室内设计厂商之一。
4位于美国丹佛的一家国际咨询公司,一直在为《财富》500强企业和其他机构,特别是高压力行业提供生产力方面的咨询。内容涉及减少信息超载、多重任务管理、平衡工作与家庭、增加条理性、减少压力等。
5创立于2015年,主要向创业者提供支持,其宗旨是释放全球创业者的潜力,帮助创业者将激情转化为成功。其创始人还创作了公司同名畅销书,该公司也创立了同名在线学习社区平台,以便为所有创业者面临的商业和个人问题提供解决方案。 6总部位于美国马萨诸塞州波士顿,主要业务为基于云的通信系统。