The big 5 work distractions
- By Jack Preston -
- Feb 07, 2012
There are few more prevalent vices in the modern workplace than social media and coffee. Most people find it difficult enough to get everything they’d like done during the working day without having to contend with added distractions.
With this in mind Virgin Media Pioneers have decided to look into the things that cost us time, attempting to provide a workable solution to curtailing bad working habits.
So, what are the common pitfalls and how are they best avoided?
Coffee and Sugar – We all like to think a coffee and a sugary snack will give us that energy boost to get us through the day, however it’s easy to overdo it. You’ll quickly become nervous and fidgety with too much caffeine in your bloodstream, stick to water and fruit if you want to perk yourself up the healthy way.
Too many meetings – While they can be a very productive and efficient way of discussing ideas and getting work done, they can easily turn into a waste of time if not properly structured. Ensure meetings are planned in advance and an agenda is present to prevent them turning into a waffling session.
Facebook – I’ll just read this post, I’ll just look at this album, I’ll just make one more witty comment. Everyone has experienced the time consuming powers of Facebook, it's best to keep it to your lunch hour. If you manage a page through work then creating a separate account to do so can give you back a lot of wasted time.
Twitter & Emails – There are few things better for sharing and gaining information, but constantly checking these two can leave you with little time to do anything else. Set aside 10 minutes every hour to check what’s been happening and send responses, no more.
Skipping lunch – It may seem like a good way to give yourself that extra half hour but it’ll cost you in the long run. Food, fresh air and a discussion about anything other than work will focus you for the rest of the day, you may find your concentration waning if you try to work with no breaks.
Visit Virgin Media Pioneers to have a look at their tips and take part in their survey.
Image by daviderwin on Flickr
By Jack Preston. Content & Marketing Executive. Tweets at @JackPressedOn
