The distractions that surround us aren't going anywhere, so learning to overcome them is one of the best things we can do for ourselves as developers to always stay focused and get our staff done β.
Here are 5 tips that can help us to stay focused during work by managing distraction and eliminating chances for procrastination as developers;
1. Set plans
All successful people are great planners whereby they make lists for every major and minor objective. When a task comes your way, spend some time thinking about how you will accomplish it instead of jumping into it straight away. Write down every step necessary from start to finish, with a timeline.
2. Break it down.
Especially when distractions are high, make tasks smaller and break down your large projects into smaller tasks to help you concentrate and give you a sense of accomplishment and progress.
3. Set deadlines
If you're working on a complex task, it takes an average of 90 minutes to accomplish anything worthwhile and about 30 minutes just to get your mind on the task. Once you are in the flow, set a concentrated period of time and when the time runs out, stop. It's easier to stay focused when you have an end in sight.
4. Go offline
Some of the biggest sources of distraction come from email, social media, and cell phones. If you want real focus, take yourself offline until you've accomplished what you need to do.
5. Give yourself a break
one of the keys to doing great work is to know when to take a break. When you start to feel distracted, take a break every 2hours of work, your break can be for about 15 to 20 minutes. A short break can help you clear up your mind.
Our ability to stay focused is more than just a worthwhile thing to cultivate--it's a critical factor in our success or failure as developers. Getting things done is imperative, and focus is the key to getting things done.
I hope these tips will help some of us to improve on ourselves as developers.
In case there is anything I have missed that you feel it's worth to be included then you can comment below π
Top comments (2)
I have asked the same question recently
and some smart readers have provided interesting answers
How do you stay focused in a distracted world?
Jean-Michel Fayard π«π·π©πͺπ¬π§πͺπΈπ¨π΄ γ» Nov 26 γ» 1 min read
Yours are great too!
Simple and great article! Break down the plan and set deadlines are the two most important things. I also like using task management software to get an overview of my progress. I'd like to recommend to use Wrike or Quire!