How to fight that I-just-want-to-play-outside feeling
| 2 min read
Imagine this scenario: You arrive at your desk and settle in to tackle your monster to-do list, only to look out the window and remember it’s a picturesque spring day out there. Dreams of enjoying a warm, sunny afternoon in the beautiful Michigan outdoors start to take over and you find yourself falling way behind your daily project list.
Distractions like these can be hard to put off, especially during the warmer months, and they can make completing your work more daunting than usual. Fortunately, there are several ways to help combat window-watching and other work-related distractions, ensuring you remain productive from 9 to 5. Think of it this way: By getting your tasks done efficiently, you’ll find yourself enjoying the outdoors even sooner!
- Fidget to focus. Pen-clicking, foot-tapping and even the occasional doodling may actually help you concentrate at work. While these may seem like they would be distracting, they actually help keep your brain active, engaged and primed to complete your work. Keep this in mind next time you break out the notepad during a conference call.
- Stick to the same office. Unless travel is necessitated by your job, try to stick to the same work environment on a consistent basis. New spaces can be distracting for work as you’re naturally curious to investigate the new surroundings. These additional distractions will draw some of your attention away from the task at hand.
- Break it up. Overwhelming tasks keeping you in the office late? Something as simple as splitting your day up into achievable chunks can help make your list seem more manageable. You’ll feel more productive and spend less time distracted about the magnitude of your assignment (and also less inclined to gaze out the window in despair).
- Get up and move. The combination of sitting still and focusing all of your energy on a single task will tire your brain more quickly and keep you at the office longer. Throughout the work day, get up and walk around, or switch tasks to keep your mind sharp and your work day efficient. A quick walk outside will also keep your brain fresh and scratch your itch for the outdoors in the process.
Image credit: Wired4
