Distraction management is one of the most sought-after topics in my coaching practice. Managers struggle with it for themselves. And many of them want to know how to teach the art of focusing to the members of their team.
I’ve talked at length about the nature of distractions, and how solving for distractions is the precursor to any attempt at productivity. It’s not the only path though.
There’s a second question that can help you get back on track (whatever you’ve decided that track to be):
How does your brain know that now is the time to work?
How to win an argument with your brain
Let’s assume, just for the sake of this exercise, that your brain is a separate entity from yourself.
[If you, like me, have had deep discussions with your brain to convince him or her to do or not do something specific, you know exactly what I mean.]
How would you convince your brain that it’s focus time? How do you signal to your brain that now, indeed, is the right moment to sit down and get something done? And can you be convincing enough to prevail over your brain - who is a master in creating excuses?
The answer is: environmental cues.
And if you are not working from an office, that is exactly your biggest challenge.
The office is just consistent expectation management
How does your brain know that now is the time to work?
In an office setting, that’s easy: you walked into the office, left the lunch package in the kitchen, grabbed a coffee, walked over to your desk and opened the computer.
There’s a calendar on the wall, maybe a to do list next to your mouse pad.
Clearly, and visibly, this is the place where work happens.
You hear keyboards clicking in the background. Someone is on the phone. Another colleague is moaning over an uninspiring spreadsheet. The aroma of coffee hangs in the air, with a whiff of stale office air.
Audibly, and fragrantly (?), this is the place where work happens.
That doesn't mean that work should happen under these circumstances.
It doesn’t mean that you need an office for work to happen.
It does mean though, that you’ve likely trained your brain to expect a specific surrounding in order to surrender to the hard work of work.
(Thinking - from a brain’s perspective - is hard work, something it would gladly get away from if left to its own devices).
You can train an old brain new tricks
How does your brain brain now that now is the time to work?
Even if you are at home? Even if the storage room could really do with some decluttering. Even though LinkedIn notifications twinkle at you every time you glance at your phone? (Or is that just me?)
The answer: create a consistent experience for your brain. The more visceral the better.
This is what work looks like.
A distinct computer background. A different setup of your secondary screen. A different keyboard. A specific artwork next to your screen. A work specific tea cup. A specific book or magazine next to your screen.
This is what work sounds like.
A specific playlist. The sound of a coworking space. The gentle hum of your plant lights. The sighing of your air conditioning unit.
This is what work smells like.
A scent diffuser with a blend you only use while working. Coffee coming in from the kitchen. The fragrance of green tea from your work-cup. The scent from a fresh bouquet of seasonal flowers from the farmers’ market.
This is what work feels like.
The distinct touch of your work keyboard. The warmth of your tea in your hands. The satin of your work blouse on your skin. The support of your ergonomic chair, or the bouncy happiness of a pilates ball.
Whatever you choose: be consistent in training your brain that this is when work happens.
Experiment - and give each experiment at least a month to settle in.
Pro tip if you are an aspiring digital nomad
Make sure your cues are portable. If your work mood depends on a fixed monitor, you’ll have a hard time focusing at a museum café. If your focus is triggered by your neighbours coffee habits, you may be hard pressed to create the same experience elsewhere.
Playlists, your favourite tea (add it to the packing list though), a portable monitor - these are things that can help you get into work mood on the go. Train for it with time.
And if you are in charge of your company’s workplace policies: teach your employees how to be productive on the road - consistently.