Do you ever find yourself staring at web comics or news sites (or even blogs on personal development) when youre supposed to be working? Sure. We all do, right?

We all lack focus at times especially if were struggling with a hard or boring task. And with computers / tablets / phones close to hand, weve got a world of distractions at our fingertips.

Dont feel bad if you dont always concentrate as well as youd like. Staying focused takes effort, and practice but by following these steps, you can hugely increase your chances of having a productive day.

Step #1: Get Clear About Your Immediate Goal Whatever youre working on, you should have some sort of end goal: you need to know once youre done with your current task.

All too often, though, we work a bit aimlessly perhaps checking emails, then filing some papers, then typing a few words on that dull report, then answering a couple of emails, and so on.

Each time you switch to a new task, write down in a few words what youre aiming to accomplish. For instance:

and so on. This is an efficient way of working: instead of splitting your focus between a bunch of different things, youll be concentrating on one task at a time. Youll also have a clear end point in sight which is great for motivation.

Step #2: Close Down Any Distractions There are two types of event that throw you off-task when youre working: interruptions and distractions.

You cant always do much about interruptions. These are external events, like your phone ringing, or a colleague dropping by to ask a question. (You might want to let your phone go to voicemail, though, or put on headphones to prevent people striking up a casual conversation.)

Distractions, though, are under your control even if it doesnt always feel that way! A distraction is the urge to check your email, or to see whether your favorite web comic has been updated and so on.

View post:
How To Stay Focused When You’re Tempted To Slack Off – In 3 Simple Steps