Sometimes it is hard to stay focused at work for many different reasons like:

Colleagues around you talking
Others approaching you to ask about something or just to talk
Work related emails or phone Calls


the list can go on; it can be your work load as well. Lots are usually are overloaded with work and barely get time to breath.
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Q1. Is there any particular technique you use to stay focused?
Q2. Have you tried the "Time Boxing (http://www.davecheong.com/2006/07/26/time-boxing-is-an-effective-getting-things-done-strategy/)" technique? Does it work for you?

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Share your thoughts and ways to stay on top of the job and for getting the right things done at the right time...

I never faced problems cause I am interested in what I do, and as long as I'm interested then I am focused till I get the job done. If I am not, then I find that playing my iPod (which is allowed where I work) helps me to stay focused on what I am working on instead of listening to what my colleagues are talking about.

Also I ignore phone calls and the net unless I have time to spare.

I think you can only get easily distracted in anything you do, only if it's tedious.

O' God! I can never stay focused for long! The slightest of things distract me, lol:P

O' God! I can never stay focused for long! The slightest of things distract me, lol:P

It's good that you know! :p Let me add that you could be the worst partner to work with, when it has something to do with education :bored:

I work on a team with 12 people and allot of them are practical jokesters...including me. So am ok with it.....I like staying busy and having great companionship from my team mates. Staying focus I usually do but with Sabla sometimes that focus can be a tad "off." :)

All I can say is, thank god we're not allowed to access the internet from our work computer systems, or I'd be having huge concentration problems. :hyper:

I have to meet a quota of at least 21 cases a day. I usually average 22 to 23 so no big deal....I have ADD (found out in college when I was made to take some tests) so my mind wants to go everywhere.

At the moment we're doing 8 weeks of training.. with 3 hour long lectures and last week I was falling asleep. Literally.

But even though I was dozing off, I could still understand and remember everything he was saying.

What I find really really distracting is music. I can't have music on if I'm trying to read.

i'm always focussed at work and i have lots of things going on at the same time.
but nobody checks on me daily and i have nothing to show my boss, unless she asks.

the people i'm accountable to are 23 eight year olds and their parents. it's very important not to let the constant 'miss miss, he hit me, gotta go to the toilet urgent, he stole my rubber, need to sharpen my pencil, she's moving my table, miss i'm hungry, miss do i write the date, miss the guy three rows away is picking his nose, etce tc', while trying to deliver a lesson, give them class work and homework, explaining the usual three individually cos they never understand the lesson due to problems they have, keeping the class quiet and not letting the steam come out of my ears due to the intense pressure.

apart from all that, job's quite plain sailing, and staying focussed is a doddle.

^^^holy Schomoly!!!!!!!!

No matter what, I am always distracted. Even if I am loving what I do, I get distracted somehow .. it's in me. I guess I distract myself :p

For some reason I get distracted all the time..
But basically when im studying, I put the headphones on and listen to music from my phone! It helps me concentrate! LOL

^ I used to be like that at the age of 12~15. Then I started losing focus with music on the background.

^^ Interesting!
I always have my headphones on! Most of the time I am online, I am listening to music :)
Being online means browsing the forum, checking my emails or reading an article. I still manage to focus on the content of what I am reading :)

I strongly believe in the saying: Work in something you enjoy, and never work a day.

You don't have to be "focused at work". Sometimes taking breaks helps. You need to take it easy. If you are lucky enough to work in a professional environment, this can be easy.

Anyhow, if the issue is literally being disturbed while you try to finish some work, then you simply need to get rid of the reason bothering you. If its coordinators bothering you, kindly ask them to shut up ;)

A lot of interesting inputs, good to know that many are doing fine and can focus. Though in this thread I was intending to refer to the techniques that assists in continuing your pace of work, despite the unintentional distractions that come across of you. Keeping in mind that enjoying or being interested in the work, isnt the issue.

As I mentioned in the first post, when overloaded with work the time boxing seems like an interesting technique to allow many things to get done. Anyone tried it or can consider it as a technique that can work for them?

1. Move to a job you like more
2. Do less of it

I always had problem with studying...most of the time I couldnt focus...even if i like the subject..

But i always focus on my work... I love what am doing...I like to achieve things

Sometimes it is hard to stay focused at work for many different reasons like:

Colleagues around you talking
Others approaching you to ask about something or just to talk
Work related emails or phone Calls


the list can go on; it can be your work load as well. Lots are usually are overloaded with work and barely get time to breath.
---------

Q1. Is there any particular technique you use to stay focused?
Q2. Have you tried the "Time Boxing (http://www.davecheong.com/2006/07/26/time-boxing-is-an-effective-getting-things-done-strategy/)" technique? Does it work for you?

-----------

Share your thoughts and ways to stay on top of the job and for getting the right things done at the right time...

1-Book yourself in Outlook
2-reduce the tone of your phone
3-If you are over-loaded,then speak with your manager and tell him/her that you are over-loaded and you can only handel this much and you wish postpond or hand-over few activities to some one else.

Time management is what you need. I know it is difficult sometimes but we need to try it. I recieved an email in ragrds to this couple of days ago and I am sharing it with you. I found it to be useful :)

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5 tips for Improving your Time Management

On projects, time is the most sacred resource. It's limited, that's why it's a "project" as opposed to "operational" work which is on-going. So it's imperative that you have good time management skills to cope with the volume of work ahead. Here are 5 tips to help you manage your time better than before:

Tip 1: Get rid of the clutter

There’s an old saying and it goes like this: "a busy desk makes a busy mind". As a project manager, you don’t want a busy mind. You want a clear mind that remains sharp throughout the day. So start clearing your mind by clearing your desk and office space. Make it paperless if possible. You will feel refreshed, focused and sharper than before.

Tip 2: Bin the Post-its!

Do you have tons of post-it notes that are constant reminders of things to be done? And when they're important, you stick them to your monitor? Many people do it, but it's not good time management. The reason why is that it's pretty hard to prioritize 20 post-it notes, so you end up only working on the ones that are in front of you rather than the ones that are the most critical to the success of your project.

Collate all of the post-it notes from your desk, car and pockets and create a single "To Do" list in Microsoft Excel. Then bin the post it notes. You will end up with a clear desk and a single list of things to do. That’s a great start towards proper time management.

Tip 3: Who shouts loudest

People with poor time management skills adopt the "who shouts loudest" principle. Those who shout loudest get their work done first. But if you have a single To-Do list and you've prioritized your work accordingly, then you'll always follow the priorities in your list, and not those coming from people in emails, phone calls and text messages. Suddenly you're the one who determines what gets done and when, not others.

Tip 4: Create a work schedule

Now you have a clean desk and a single To-Do list. You're now ready to create a work schedule. Look at the month ahead and plan your time carefully. Make sure that the important items are scheduled to be done first. Never fill your calendar more than 80%, so that you're available when unexpected tasks crop up.

Tip 5: Stick to it

It's hard, but stick to it. Keep your desk clear. Keep a single To-Do list and update it daily. And if you have more than 5 post-it notes on your desk, then you know you're getting back into clutter. Keep a focused mind and work smart using these simple but effective time management tips.

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This is the end :)

I'd say that if you keep moving, you'll always stay focused.. That's what I learned, don't sit on the chair for 2 hours in a row.. Take a break every once in a while!