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Remove external triggers
A simple way to accomplish this is to manage the notification settings on your smartphone.
Try turning off personal email notifications. Unless social media is part of your job, consider turning off notifications from apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter during work hours. Designate a specific time during your day to check personal communications.
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To master time, master your ‘internal triggers.’
Try to understand the uncomfortable sensations you're trying to escape when you reach for your cell phone or email account, then learn new techniques for managing that discomfort in a healthier manner.
Many people use to-do lists without considering the amount of time it takes to complete a task.
Practice "timeboxing" your schedule: assigning a maximum amount of time for an activity. It can help give context and limits to ambiguous tasks.
Use 'pact' like a way to pre-commit to an outcome when you know you're likely to get distracted.
This could be as simple as working with a friend for a set period of time where you keep each other accountable.
RELATED IDEAS
- Integrate apps and automate your routines with online calendars, scheduling apps, time trackers, project management systems and other tools.
- Delegate some tasks to focus on more important tasks and teach your team members new skills. Next time you feel overloaded, you’ll have a trained employee who can back you up.
- Outsource tasks that take too much of your time and put your focus where it's needed most.
- Digital detox works as short-term momentary solutions....smartphones & video games are trending culprits because even 2000 years ago Socrates complained of "forgetfulness in the learners' souls" caused by written words!
- Solution - identifying & managing the psychological distractions leading us off track.
- Most distractions begin from internal triggers like boredom, loneliness, fatigue, & uncertainty - things you're trying to avoid.
- Learn how to control the way you react to these feelings.
To enter flow, you need appropriated self-control, environmental conditions, skills, task and rewards. Besides that, you must know what you’re doing, be able to see whether or not you’re doing it well, and be pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone.
The last point is especially important, it's mastery combined with challenge that brings flow. Too much challenge and we get overcome with anxiety. Not enough, and our brain loses focus and looks for other stimuli.