As a business owner, you are always seeking creative solutions to achieve your goals, put out conflicts, and advance your business. But it can be hard to manage your time well, particularly with distractions around.
We have all been there. Wide-eyed and ready to take on the work week, but just as you cross off the first task from your to-do list, the inevitable happens: an unexpected phone call, a knock at the door, an accumulation of text notifications on your phone, and then all of a sudden, lunchtime arrives and you are left wondering where the day went.
Avoid Distractions: Start With The Basic
While avoiding all distractions is impossible, there are several things you can do to lessen their impacts on your business.
Identify the day’s goals.
Despite our best efforts, when we attempt to balance numerous objectives at once, we frequently fail. But do not lose hope. Setting your goals too high and focusing on too many targets can prohibit even the most motivated individual from reaching their full potential. Focusing on one goal at a time increases your chances of commitment and success compared to trying to do many at once.
Instead, decide what your most essential goal for today is—the one that will help your life and business advance—and make that goal the main focus of your day.
Batch your tasks to your daily objective.
Remember, increasing productivity is only the beginning! You can make sure that everything is heading in the right direction by planning work around a single, overarching objective. This is because it is simpler to focus on the things that matter most when you have a specific goal in mind rather than becoming sidetracked by other less important chores.
Say NO to multitasking.
So what’s the issue with multitasking? According to neuropsychologist Dr. Cynthia Kubu, “The human brain is not designed to multitask well. When you try to accomplish two things at once, each one suffers.”
The study suggests that we cannot do two things at once as well as we could if we performed them separately, but it also means that we are more likely to struggle with multitasking than we would if we focus on just one item at a time. Nonetheless, multitasking while you should be focusing on a cognitive activity can reduce your IQ by as much as 15 points, which is equivalent to staying awake for a full 24 hours without sleep!
Reduce your screen time.
There is no denying that mobile devices have evolved into some of society’s biggest sources of diversion. Most apps and websites have been designed to be as addictive and user-friendly as possible. For most business owners, putting your phone aside fully during the day is much easier said than done and not always possible.
To help you reduce distractions caused by your mobile phones, try the following tips:
- Remove all unused apps from your device.
- Disable notifications for any apps that are not work-related.
- Think about buying a landline for the office.
- Create a “do not disturb” setting on your phone.
- Create an email auto-response
- Invest in time-management or concentration apps for your devices.
Organize your workspace.
Your ability to complete tasks may be hindered by a messy workstation.
Why is it the case?
When there are dozens of visual cues present, they fight for your attention. Simply said, focusing on the subject at hand will need more effort when a lot is going on in your field of vision.
Be careful, though, as procrastination can occasionally pass for action, and you do not want to waste time catching up. Although you may believe you are being productive, you are actually dodging the main task at hand. A timer can ensure that you stay on task and prevent you from straying.
Hire a virtual assistant to handle distracting tasks.
It may be tempting for business owners who started their business from scratch to feel as though they must shoulder all of their responsibilities. Yet, if it causes you to lose track of important duties or feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done every day, your business and your well-being may suffer.
Offloading low-level, distracting work is therefore often essential for keeping your sanity and your business running smoothly.
Virtual assistants, or VA, are independent workers who work remotely to support their clients’ administrative or executive needs. You are sure to find a knowledgeable and experienced VA who can relieve you of any least favorite or time-consuming tasks, from scheduling meetings and keeping the minutes to producing marketing materials and managing your inbox.
Even though they won’t be able to complete everything on your to-do list, giving jobs to a virtual assistant minimizes the time demands placed on you and, as a result, the number of distractions that prevent you from concentrating on the crucial chores that will achieve your goals.
Work with a VALUE VA
VALUE Virtual Assistants is an excellent place to stop you from distractions and help you focus on more important goals at hand. Recruit virtual assistants to help you manage your business. Hiring a virtual assistant with us is easy.
Our process is straightforward.
- Book a complimentary consultation with us.
To better understand your needs and provide information about our process, we will discuss your questions in a consultation session. Our specialists will consult with you to determine whether the virtual assistant matches your requirements.
- Evaluate the candidate.
Following the initial consultation, you will be given information regarding our recommended candidates. You can ask our team for a different recommendation if the selected individual does not meet your requirements.
- Interview the candidate.
Once you are happy with our suggestion, we connect you with the chosen candidate to learn more about them.
- Onboard your VALUE VA and incorporate it into the group.
At this point, you might have an onboarding conversation with them to go through the role of their position and any communication guidelines you want them to be aware of.
Talk to our friendly support team to get started. We will match you with a committed professional based on the skills and experience you require so you can prevent unnecessary distractions and focus on your business.
