Get All Access for $5/mo

Avoid These Distractions at Workplace to Stay Focused This will help you think constructive, work smart and focus on important issues that were ignored earlier

By Nidhi Singh

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Shutterstock

Workplace distractions can kill your creativity and productivity. From noisy colleagues to unavoidable telephone calls, diversions are many and eat up a lot of your precious time at work.

According to a 2016 survey by Oxford Economics, noise and distractions pose big challenges, especially in an open workplace setup.

A phone call from such open workplaces can disturb people working in other offices as well.

In today's busy lifestyle, everyone wants to get their work done in less time to stay ahead of his/her co-workers. Entrepreneur India lists a few distractions that can be easily avoided at the workplace to think constructive, work smart and focus on important issues that were ignored earlier.

Social Media

Social media consumes a large part of our daily lives. In today's digital era, the fear of missing out on social media is something people are bothered about apparently more than anything else.

Though it helps us in staying in touch with friends and family members and also keeps us abreast of various latest news and developments, it also creates a world of digital distraction for the young working population. Thanks to the excessive penetration and use of internet, even the most puritanical employees of an organization are fast falling into the traps of social media. The habit of scrolling through sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram has become so regular and binding that it starts interfering with your work. This further leads to lack of focus, which affects your performance.

Overflow of Emails

While on one hand access to the internet makes the workplace more competitive, on the other hand it has affected employees' ability to focus on their jobs.

Going through an endless stream of emails can take a lot of your time. It doesn't matter what job you are into, email is one of those things that form an integral part of work practices. On several occasions, we end up wasting time in writing an email, clearing up the inbox and going through each and every notification. To manage your email effectively, follow a systematic approach. Clear the unnecessary clutter, automate email follow-up setting, decrease the number of newsletters and decide what's more important. Lastly, set aside a specific time to read and respond to emails.

Noisy Coworker

Are you sick of your annoying co-workers? Every once in a while you will come across a noisy colleague, who bothers you in the daily work routine. The rising trend of open offices makes noise distractions and disturbances worse. Noisy co-workers can be the worst nightmare for people working in such setups. They lower productivity of an employee and thus in a way, the entire firm's output is affected. To get rid of them, confront them without being rude and sounding as if you are complaining and explain that you're having troubles in focusing on work. But if your colleague is self-justifying, then talking to your manager may be the best option.

Nidhi Singh

Former Correspondent, Entrepreneur Asia-Pacific

A self confessed Bollywood Lover, Travel junkie and Food Evangelist.I like travelling and I believe it is very important to take ones mind off the daily monotony .

News and Trends

"45% of All Ongoing Hydropower Projects in India are Ours": Patel Engineering

Patel Engineering reported a turnover of INR 4,400 crore in the last fiscal year, with a projected 10 per cent growth for the current year.

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Growing a Business

Stop Chasing Subscribers — Start Making Money With These Newsletter Hacks

Here's how operators profit from newsletters by turning acquisition costs into revenue and leveraging one audience to build multiple assets.