It is easy to become distracted in our every increasing busy lives. And to make matters more challenging, life seems to throw these obstacles in our way during the most inconvenient times. There are simple distractions that are for the most part easy to ignore, but there are some that can interfere with our schedules, productivity and overall personal happiness.
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These 5 strategies will help teach you how to avoid distraction:
1. Get it Out
If there is something that is bothering you, a great thing to do is get it out of your system. Talk to a close friend about the issue. Ask for help from a professional. Anything that will allow you to get the issue resolved in your mind will allow you to move forward.
2. Stay Occupied
When you become distracted by factors in your personal life when at work, you can train yourself to focus on other things. Completing important tasks, taking phone calls, attending training and pushing through the issue will enable you to prevent the distraction from derailing your success at work.
3. Work Out
Working out increases endorphins, which can improve not only our moods, but can increase our ability to focus on tasks at hands. Go to the gym or even take a jog in your neighborhood. By being physically active, your body will be better equipped to manage distractions in your life. Plus, many people find working out as a great outlet for calming their minds.
4. Turn Off Your Phone
Do you constantly check your phone or PDA for calls, text messages or emails? Our phones have become a great communication source throughout our day, but they have also become a primary distraction. Turn your phone on silent during peak hours of the day to remove the distraction
5. Visual Aids
There are many visual aids that can keep your mind occupied on the task at hand and can easily eliminate thoughts that can be distracting you. While this method is only temporary, it can help as a last resort.
6. Mental Activities
There are many activities such as writing, reading or even drawing that can keep your mind focused away from any distraction. These types of things can challenge your mind into keeping distracted thoughts aside and can help you in deep visualization or imagination.
There are many other ways to stay distracted on anything you do. Most distractions cannot be eliminated permanently, but if you find different ways to drown them out you can focus on the task at hand.
Be Sure to share  your own  Tips 
 Pic via   sKai Heitz’s photostream
14. June 2010 at 8:32 pm
Fatima: This is a good topic and distraction is probably something we all have struggled with at one point or another. It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting to divert your attention from what you are doing. For me, what has worked is isolating certain blocks of time where I commit to focusing on whatever it is I am doing. This means that literally shut myself in a room and eliminate even the possibility of being distracted. I think the tips you shared could also be good to put to use. I am really thinking turning off the PDA and cell phone could really reduce the chances of getting distracted.
16. June 2010 at 6:32 am
Great strategies towards avoiding being distracted, Fatima, but what solution can you propose to a male who loves nothing more than to watch 22 grown men kicking a leather pigskin about a field for 90 minutes or more?
I don’t know how I’m going to avoid being distracted with the World Cup in South Africa being on at the moment
16. June 2010 at 7:46 am
Fatima-I am not easily distracted from doing what I want, only from doing what I should.
16. June 2010 at 10:19 am
Since I work from home generally, it’s easy to get distracted. The household chores alone are always looming and beckoning me to do them.
What I do is schedule in breaks. 30 minutes here to clean the kitchen. An hour there to read and then go for a run. And even though I “waste” two hours a day being “distracted” it helps me stay focused the rest of the time.
17. June 2010 at 3:36 am
Thanks @Sibyl , Isolating blocks of times sounds cool. I think then we still have a “Normal life†where we don’t become too frustrated making it a point of duty not to get distracted at all..
@Jason very funny but I am not too sure of any strategies here. Interestingly my hubby happens to be one of those who loves watching “ 22 grown men kicking a leather pigskin about a field for 90 minutes or moreâ€..Enjoy the football and thanks for stopping over.
@NP hahahehe don’t we all..thanks for visiting .
Thanks @One of the Guys.. Just like Sibyl is sounds like allocating that time to get on with what needs to be done..Thanks for your comment