How often are you concentrating on something important and suddenly get distracted by something? Checking the mail, a notification on the mobile, dinner tonight.
Distractions can be due to many factors, but there is no doubt that our products always end up being affected.
Fortunately, today, through practices such as mindfulness, it is possible to reduce distractions and teach our brain to concentrate and focus on a single task, controlling emotions, reactions and thoughts.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a philosophy of life of Buddhist origin, translated into Spanish, meaning “full attention.” It is a technique that combines meditation and relaxation to teach our brain to pay attention to the now.
In this way, by focusing on the present moment, we manage to get the most out of what we do.
Practicing mindfulness will improve your concentration, and no longer be distracted. But what does this have to do with increased productivity?
Well, very simple, being completely focused on the present moment and concentrating solely on the task we are carrying out. We will obtain better results in terms of time management and the quality of our work.
This discipline also has its share of meditation, but it is not necessary to sit in the lotus position, close your eyes and meditate. Here are some simple guidelines to implement mindfulness practices in your daily life and increase productivity.
5 Mindfulness Tips to improve your productivity
Exercise Your Attention
Do meditation exercises that help your brain develop the ability to focus on something in particular, such as an object, a situation, or a task. The most basic exercises focus on breathing, mindful walking, or mental examination of our body.
To perform the breathing exercise, sit comfortably and focus your mind on your breathing—specific aspects such as the air that enters and leaves the lungs or the movement of the abdomen.
Mentally analyze each part of your body and pay attention to different sensations.
The important thing is to let your attention focus on one thing at a time. You will likely be easily distracted again. It is normal. But insist and return to focus on what you were doing.
If you are constant in this training, the distractions will disappear a little.
Focus on a single task
The main basis of mindfulness is the focus of attention, so avoid multitasking. Even if you think that you are being more productive with multitasking because you feel that you are doing many things, what you are doing is dispersing your attention and your effort in several tasks.
If you manage to focus on a single task and complete it, the result will be of much higher quality.
Prioritize
Before leaving work, review your to-do list, see which ones you have completed, which ones are still pending, or which ones you need to add, and prioritize. Remember that a list is useless if it is not organize.
You can sort your tasks by priority, their level of attention, or the estimated time you need to complete them. It is best to leave the most important or complicated for those times when you are most productive (usually in the morning) and the less urgent or less demanding for the end of the day.
Create a distraction-free environment
Close all unnecessary windows, tabs, or applications. Try to have on your computer only the essentials to complete your tasks. You can choose a time of day to read and reply to your emails, return calls or check all the notifications on your phone.
Social networks are also often a great distraction, so turn off notifications and take the opportunity to check them during breaks or intervals.
Take breaks throughout the day.
Spending so many hours in front of the computer can be counterproductive not only for your health but also for your productivity. To avoid visual and mental fatigue, taking short breaks during the day is best to disconnect and refresh your mind.
As we have already said, you can take advantage of these breaks to make calls or look at your social networks. This way, you also help control your curiosity and will no longer be so aware when returning to work.