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There are way too many distractions in modern life, and they can be deadly. You need to slow down, pay attention, and stop being so distracted. But how? Hereโs how.
Focus
Whatโs the biggest cause of car accidents? Itโs not drinking and driving. Itโs actually driving while being distracted. Text messaging. Talking while driving. Fiddling with the radio. Eating. Putting on makeup. Looking at the GPS instead of the road. Watson Goepel, one of the most prominent Vancouver personal injury lawyers often see these cases, and itโs not pretty.
Getting into a car accident, or any accident really, is life changing. Itโs probably one of the most traumatic experiences you could have.
Itโs also almost completely avoidable in many cases. They key is to focus. Itโs both the simplest and hardest thing to do. Focusing on what youโre doing right now means that youโre not checking your email. Youโre not texting. Youโre not distracted. It takes practice, but it could save your life.
Turn Off Notifications
Turn off your notifications. Smart phones are incredibly powerful and helpful. But, theyโre also incredibly annoying. They constantly beg for your attention, like a 2 year old. More than that, their โpush notificationsโ constantly interrupt you throughout the day so that you canโt concentrate or focus on what youโre doing. If you get a Facebook notification as youโre crossing a busy street, youโre going to be sorry. Turn them off and enjoy the silence.
Read Email Once A Day, Twice On Sunday
Read your email only once per day. If you absolutely have to, check it twice. But, leaving your email client open all day only invites distraction. For every distraction you face, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to fully refocus on what you were previously doing. Thatโs lost time and lost money.
Complete 1-2 Minute Projects Immediately
Take a page out of David Allenโs program, and take immediate action on projects that only take a minute or two to complete. This helps clutter from building up on your desk, in your inbox, and prevents you from having a mile-long โto doโ list.
Get Rid Of Clutter
Get rid of clutter. Do you have a million papers on your desk? Get rid of them. File them in your inbox or assign them to a project folder. If your office is filled with distractions like superfluous furniture, knickknacks, papers, pens rolling around, or books that you arenโt reading right this very minute, itโs time to organize them.
Get Rid Of Services You Donโt Need
The Average person watches 30 to 40 hours of T.V. every week. Thatโs a lot, really. Do you enjoy all of these shows? Maybe, but you probably could get at least as much enjoyment out of doing something else thatโs cheaper and less distracting. One of the reasons people watch so much T.V. is because itโs addicting. You sit down to watch a show. Itโs over. Now what? Itโs easier to sit and wait for the next show to come on than to turn off the T.V. and get up and do something.
Solution: Ditch the cable or DirecTV and any other service thatโs a source of distraction. Not only will you get more done during the day, youโll find that your punctuality improves as does your overall sense of self-awareness.
Guest Blogger: Kristyn Lewis understands the hectic pace of life today. An avid writer, she likes to share her insights with others by posting online. Look for her helpful articles on many of today’s top websites and blogs.