How to Minimize Daily Distractions and Increase Productivity

Every day, we are all faced with more distractions than ever, making time management seem more critical than ever before. But today’s guest would argue otherwise. On this episode of the Digital Enterprise Society podcast, Thom Singer is joined by attention management expert Maura Thomas. Maura teaches people how to focus their attention, not manage their time, because attention management is the new path to productivity. If you’ve ever struggled to stay focused and get the important work done, you won’t want to miss the insights and advice of this conversation.   On today’s podcast, you will learn: The key difference about attention management Productivity means achieving a significant result over a period of time. Time management is not the problem — we always have the same amount of time to get things done. You cannot solve a distraction problem with a time solution. Attention management is the new path to productivity.   Where to start focusing your attention Technology has created a habit of distraction in every part of your life. Increasing control over your technology is essential to overcoming these distractions. The consequences of being distracted limit our access to the full range of our talent and minimizes our patience. Focusing on the big to-do items will create a greater sense of accomplishment.   Improving attention management in the workplace Constantly checking email and other communication channels is the greatest distraction in the workplace. Tracking improvement in attention management requires finding measurable ways to quantify productivity. Managing email and other overwhelming communication is the key to managing productivity. Communication clutter is robbing us of moments of downtime and dreaming.   4 ways to improve your approach to email Filter your email so that you are only processing the essentials. Remember that email is work that requires your time and attention, and treat it as such. Do not ‘reply all’ whenever possible. Control your attention by minimizing the time that you attend to your email and other notifications.   Continue the conversation with us within the Digital Enterprise Society Community at www.DigitalEnterpriseSociety.org.   Digital Download: Virtual Round-Table Series