How to increase focus and minimize distractions in work and life

Building an online business sounds easy, but it can be so difficult in so many ways. Self-motivation plays a huge part in working for yourself. Especially when you’re working from home 100% of the time! Yeah, maybe you get to work in your pajamas eating all kinds of junky snacks but you still have to get work done! Distractions are a challenge we all have to face when it comes to staring at a screen all day long. Keeping myself productive every day is the key to success. I seriously can’t do that effectively though when I have a million notifications buzzing around me, my son is screaming and the tv on! Here are 3 of my favourite methods to increase focus and minimize distractions.

Night mode (do not disturb): I use this any time I need to focus on a big project but I also use it when I am focusing on RELAXING at night, without being addicted to my phone and computer and double-screening all night. When I’m watching a movie or Netflix with my hubby, from 10 PM – 8:30 AM, I am on do not disturb on my laptop and my phone. I will get all my notifications the next day when I am ready to start the day. Fair warning, it takes a TON of self-control to not check my phone or open my laptop during my do not disturb time. Yes, I do cheat sometimes, but believe me, I pay for it. When I do cheat, I end up stressed, distracted, and I can’t focus on my relax time. That’s NO FUN!

Time blocking: Interestingly, planning out how you use the blocks of time you have in your day when it comes to getting work done will give you a MAJOR boost in focus. Take the time on a calendar, digital or good ol’ pen and paper and jot down when you will be the most productive, and WHAT you will be working on. Stick to it! So if your best time block for getting blog work done is from 10 AM – 12 PM while your kids are in school and the house is quiet, do it then. THEN, in conjunction with that, close ALL other tabs on your computer and just keep the ones open that you need to get the task done. Then, check it off your to-do list and you will feel amazing.

I put my phone away during important key times: When I play with my son, when we are having dinner, when I am talking to my husband, when we are out on a drive (when I am the passenger OR driver, I don’t stare at my phone in the car ever) when I am shopping as well. I hate feeling like I’m running around like a zombie on my phone, it increases my anxiety. I feel like I am not truly present, and it stresses me out. Being distracted through life is not the way to live. Practicing being intentional is really important for your focus. You will feel better about your life, you will live in the present moment instead of in digital wonderland.

As people with mental health stuff going on, having technology around all the time isn’t necessarily the best thing for us. We need to protect our mental health by setting boundaries with technology, just like we set boundaries with other people. Focusing on life and work has a lot to do with protecting your mental health and keeping away from distracting negativity, competition, expectations involved around technology. It’s important to keep all these things in mind. Ever since I’ve implemented these strategies in my life, my productivity and focus have increased, I get so much more done and I am more relaxed as well.

Ellenie is a wife and mom to one amazing and spirited little boy. She is a social media manager and virtual assistant. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a special focus on generalized anxiety disorders and OCD. She has suffered from anxiety and panic attacks her whole life. Ellenie has been finding positive ways to conquer her mental battles every day and would love to share them with anyone who also suffers from an anxiety disorder. She also has Crohn’s Disease and has written about living with its struggles and raising a young baby. Ellenie lives in Montreal, Quebec, but is planning on traveling a lot in the near future. She loves to stay active and eat healthily, a few of the key lifestyle changes that have helped her with her mental and physical health struggles.