0 In Our "Mini-Post Series" by Guest Writers

The Real Reasons You Are Being Distracted At Work

Last Updated on May 26, 2019 by Jessica Adams

It happens to the best of us, actually, to all of us. We find ourselves doing our utmost to avoid distractions but then there we are at work, goofing around on our phones. It’s probably some new app that just downloaded or maybe you’re on a new social media site? The point is, you’re absolutely not on that site for anything work related. And the next thing you know, hours have gone by. Your overall productivity has dwindled down to nothing. You’ve lost your “working groove” and have no idea how to get it back. All of you can do, you think, is quit for the rest of the day. Does any part of this scenario sound familiar? I’d love to hear the real reasons you are being distracted at work, so leave a note in the comments!

The Real Reasons You Are

Being Distracted At Work

Attempting to Multitask

You might think multitasking is a useful skill because for years, some of the best and brightest “Productivity Gurus” have written books and taught courses on how to multitask for maximum effort. Lately, our most current crop of Self-Help/Productivity Gurus have been teaching our generation of working adults to NOT multitask. Someone finally realized that when one attempts to do several things at once, their attention to each task is naturally divided. Instead of giving 100% of ourselves to ONE thing, we’ve given 40-60% of ourselves to each project we attempt simultaneously.

Ultimately, multitasking makes for a very uneven method of working. The best way to fix this problem is to teach the approach of working smart and not working hard. This means understanding the workload and what can be done now. “Which tasks are not essential and can maybe wait until another day?”

Constantly Having to Fix Frivolous Mistakes

If you have a big organization, you may find that there are many worker archetypes. And one of the most frustrating types of worker is the person who makes a lot of mistakes. They most likely try to cover it up but are soon discovered when someone stumbled across the problem they accidentally createda. Of course, whoever ends up fixing the problem is then distracted from doing their own job. This is another example of reasons you are being distracted at work!

There are also lots of problems with technology, which accounts for even more lost time. Even more so, when fixing software patches. This solution can be fixed by using managed IT services like CyberJaz or outsourcing a similar type of company to do this for you. The best way to tackle both issues is to implement a policy that is easy to follow.

Being Swayed by External Influences

Last but not least, sometimes the reason you are being distracted at work has more to do with what is going on outside of the office. You can expect your employees to be focused on work the majority of the time but there will be times when it’s very difficult for anybody to do so. An open door policy is the most useful solution in this situation. If you have employees that feel like they can’t open up to their employer about personal problems, you’re not doing a good enough job creating a welcoming workplace culture.

There will always be reasons why your employees are distracted but you need to think about minimizing these in a more human sense. You don’t want to come across as imposing to your staff.

These three reasons are common enough. But if you go into a business understanding the human condition, you will be able to help create a better environment for everyone. Below is a video clip, created with the intention of helping you calm your senses and focus better.