How Can I Stop Being Distracted While Working On My Self-Development?

A key to self-development is to remain focused and consistent. However, we live in an interruptive era which hinders our productivity.

We are so used to interruptions that we constantly look for one all the time. If you are worried for the same reason, you may want to find out how to control distractions when focusing on self-improvement.

To reduce distractions and focus on self-development- try envisioning your future ideal self. Turn off notifications, listen to your inner self, and practice mindfulness to regain focus. Also, plan things the night before, break down your tasks, and reward yourself, not to forget, get enough rest.

Distractions lead to last-minute multitasking, which only tires you in the end. Why do this to yourself when there are easy and more effective ways you can follow to maintain your focus? Please continue reading to get to know about them.

Envision Your Future Self:

While we can talk all day about the benefits of self-development, it does require a lot of focus. One of the great ways to shoo away every temporary distraction is by imagining your future self. To be more precise, how and where do you see yourself in the upcoming years?

Once you get a blurry picture, then from that point, you can begin to live life from the same perspective. What changes do you need to bring to reach your ideal older version? What kind of daily routine will push you faster in your intended direction?

By practicing this, you can focus better on self-improvement and silence all the distractions. But, remember, it needs consistent effort from your side.

Turn Off Notifications:

In the time of social media dominancy, we cannot help but check notifications every other second. When you get fully invested in scrolling through your feeds and taking in information all the time, it can interrupt your focus.

So, if you are eager to work on yourself, you need to turn off notifications from smartphones and laptop applications. Limit the time you spend online or going through the pile of emails.

Control your device and not let the device control you!

This way, you successfully reduce all the unwanted distractions and increase your focus on self-development.

Practice Five Minute Meditation:

Our interruptive thoughts make it much tougher to center our focus on one thing. Our minds are flooded constantly with wandering thoughts that do nothing well but exhaust us in the end.

Practicing a small session of meditation can be helpful in de-cluttering our minds.

So, to make it a part of your routine, sit in a quiet place for five minutes each day. Close your eyes and try silencing all the noises in your head. It may seem hard at first, as the mind has the habit of swinging back and forth between thoughts that can distract you.

But, as they say, practice makes everything perfect. Gradually you'll get the hang of it, and then if you want, you can increase the meditation time. It is an effective technique to re-shift your focus and energies and bring yourself back on track.

Listen To Your Inner Self:

Distractions are not just external but internal as well. So, pay attention to what your inner self is going through. When your thoughts are scattered, it becomes impossible to focus on self-growth and development.

So, to regain your focus, take time out and ask yourself the following questions.

• What’s bothering your inner self?

• What’s the source of your anxiety and stress?

• What do you need to do to overcome the internal agony?

• What should you be working on in your life?

Plan Your Day A Night Before:

One effective way to deal with distractions is to plan everything the night before. When you sort your tasks out in advance, it increases your chances of accomplishing the target goal.

At the end of each day, write down five essential tasks you want to get done tomorrow. Or you can also schedule these tasks on your calendar. You can choose whichever method you like, as the main goal is to complete the pending things.

Here are some benefits of planning things a night before,

• Better sleep as the mind is relaxed

• With a pre-planned day, you’ll be more proactive

• You are committed to getting things done

Get Relaxed And Comfortable:

By being at ease, we mean to relax both physically and mentally. Comfort level can be determined by several things such as your clothes, the chair you set on, the music you hear, room temperature, and so on.

Knowing what kind of environment makes you feel relaxed helps you maintain your focus throughout the day. On the contrary, if you don't feel comfortable enough, you will be distracted and unable to focus on self-development.

Similarly, uncomfortable emotions can also reduce our productivity. Thus, to bring yourself back on track, you need to listen to your thoughts, evaluate them or practice mindfulness. You can also talk it out with someone you trust. Just do whatever it takes to relax your mind and re-shift your focus.

Break Down Your Tasks:

If you face a lot of distractions, breaking down your big tasks into smaller and more manageable tasks can prove helpful. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you have to complete so many things.

This feeling can become a hurdle in your way of making progress by bringing your motivation down and making your work seem impossible to do. But same as you eat a heavy meal by taking small bites, you can get through all your tasks if you break them down into manageable chunks.

Doing so will increase your concentration and give a sense of progress and accomplishment.

Better Sleep, Better Focus:

Healthy adults require seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Getting enough hours of quality sleep improves your attention and concentration, resulting in a better performance in day-to-day tasks.

But, if you don’t get good sleep, you will find it tough to stay focused and complete the work with dedication. Lack of sleep also distracts you, leading you to procrastinate and delay what you need to do.

Getting more rest can help you maintain your focus, plus it improves your overall health as well. So, don't deprive yourself of quality sleep.

Try Positive Self-Reinforcement:

We always look forward to getting praise and reinforcement from others. Most people do not prefer to reward themselves for their efforts and hard work. The direct effect of it can be seen in the form of low self-esteem, self-approval, and confidence.

Positive reinforcement means keeping a reward for yourself for completing a specific task. It motivates you further, plus you focus more on getting things done.

To try this method, choose a task you want to complete and think of a customized reward. These may include having your favorite snack, checking social media, playing with your pet, etc. You will see how it increases your motivation and makes you excited too.