What Is Your Biggest Distraction?

Do you really need to check email that often? Chances are that you don't. However, you're far from alone: an average office worker checks their email 36 times per hour, which translates into 650 working hours per year lost. Remember how much time is at stake when you feel like clicking the Gmail icon. Set yourself a limit of, let's say, 5 email checks per day and follow the rule no matter what. Emails are not ephemeral content; they won't disappear if you don't open them immediately.

Oh, this one is common. An average Internet user spends approximately 5 years and 4 months of their lifetime on social networks. It's easy to fall under the spell of Instagram or Facebook and not realize that until half an hour later. However, you can put a stop to this distraction madness. Download an app such as AntiSocial or SelfControl. These apps block your access to social media or other destructive websites of your choice for a set period of time. What a boost for your willpower.

It looks like push notifications are your biggest problem. Fortunately, this one is the easiest to fight. All you need to do is to go to your phone/tablet/laptop settings and disable as many notifications as possible. Do you really need a distractive popup on your screen each time one of your friends likes a post of another friend of yours? Turn those unnecessary push notifications on and never look back. You will be so glad that you did!

FB Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat - which is your favorite? Do you even have a favorite one or use all of them simultaneously? You're addicted to chatting, and this is what makes you so vulnerable to distractions. If you need more concentration in your daily life, get ready to work hard on changing your habits. Make it your second nature to logout of all messengers and chats when concentration is necessary. Don't let the fear of missing out fool you, if there's something urgent, they will call you!