The constant work emails, social media notifications and busy work environment can all be so distracting when working. It’s so easy to get buried into the endless commotions that are around us and when one is not careful, it can affect work performance.

Emile Musabyimana, a Kigali-based mentor and educator says that at the workplace, at times it’s hard to get away completely from some distractions. However, he believes that as an employee, it’s important to figure out how to stay focused even when other things are happening around you.

The educator mentions that there are multiple factors that contribute to the loss of focus such as wasting time on unnecessary issues or simply being distracted by your co-workers.

"If one is not keen enough, such minor factors could end up negatively impacting one’s productivity and overall efficiency,” he says.

How to stay away from distractions

A psychologist and youth mentor, Emmanuel Mahoro says it’s important to note that human brains normally get directly influenced by the things in front of them or immediately next to them.

She advises that the best way to go about this is by organising your working environment, to avoid having your entire day distracted by the mess around you.

"Simple things like keeping your workspace clean and organised counts a lot. And the good thing is that this habit doesn’t necessarily have to take much of your time. This will have a huge impact on keeping one focused thus ensuring your productivity is efficient,” she says.

On the other hand, Jesse Zigama, a visual artist is of the view that having a plan of what your day is going to be like saves one from any mess that might keep them from being focused.

To remain focused, he says that there is need for one to try to schedule their tasks, which according to him is a great exercise that gives structure to your workday.

"I believe when you step into your working environment and you already have an idea of what needs to be accomplished at the end of the day, it makes it easier to plan your day well,” he says.

Musabyimana says that when one prioritises important things first, it allows them to plan in such a way that tasks requiring more attention be accomplished first thing in the morning.

In addition to this, he says it is also vital to understand how our body and brain work, which can help one develop a technique that works best to increase their attention span.

Meanwhile, he goes on to note that another way to avoid distraction and remain focused is by never procrastinating.

He notes that with this habit, things get postponed for tomorrow or in the future. This is something he says can keep bothering someone and preventing them from staying focused.

Moving forward, research by the American Psychological Association indicates that constantly switching between numerous tasks reduces one’s chances to complete any one of them in due time.

Instead of saving time, one ends up doing the exact opposite of it. Additionally, we end up losing focus and making more mistakes when we juggle more than two tasks at a single time.

Importance

Mahoro says that being focused at the workplace means that one is making an impact in whatever they are doing.

She notes that the more time and concentration one is able to devote to one task, the greater the quality of work one will produce at the end of the day.

"By giving all your attention to the task without distraction, you can get it done much more quickly and with fewer mistakes. In addition, your work will be of higher quality,” she says.

Also, she cites that when one is focused and concentrated on one thing, the brain becomes focused on that task alone, which at the end of the day helps one complete that particular task much more quickly.