How to Overcome the Worst Distractions at Work

It goes without saying that creating a work environment where employees feel motivated is important if you want to make sure your team maintains a positive performance. Aside from providing the right benefits, this also means assisting employees with getting rid of common distractions at work. The purpose of creating a productive environment is to help achieve company goals and improve personal success.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you soundproof, lightproof, noise-proof, or stench-proof your home or office, there can still be distractions wherever you go. Even the most comfortable offices, rooms, or homes can be susceptible to different distracting elements. But, there is a way to minimize these distractions or overcome them without making drastic changes.

According to a study conducted by CareerBuilder, hiring managers and over 3,000 employees from different industries all came to agree on some worst workplace distractions. These include noisy coworkers, social media addiction, sudden meetings, and excessive use of mobile devices accounts.

You might be hoping to cut these distractions out of every workday. Start by identifying the distractions in your environment and working out a solution with your team.

Minimizing Smartphone or Mobile Device Use

We live at a time where our smartphones have seemingly become extensions of ourselves. This pretty much explains why many professionals suffer from some form of mobile phone addiction. According to half of those interviewed by CareerBuilder in their study, smartphone usage is the number one most common distraction in the workplace.

The average number of times an adult checks their smartphone is believed to be 43 times. Although the study only suggests that this is the amount of time people spend to check their phones, what it doesn't detail is how long they stay glued to the screen. Considering how often people check their phones, it's no surprise why this habit is negatively affecting people's work performance.

One common way to deal with this is to enact a particular rule. For instance, mobile phones cannot be used during meetings, presentations, seminars, and other vital events in the office. Although this won't completely eliminate mobile phone usage, it could "heal" those who are most addicted to their smartphones. Another positive benefit of minimizing smartphone use is the indirect promotion of collaboration and socialization. This can make your team come closer together as they will have the opportunity to get to know each other.  

No More Noise

The second most common productivity killer in the office, as well as in the home, is noise pollution. For tech companies who may have embraced the open-office layout, this issue has become common. Although open-office designs are known to increase collaboration, socialization, and engagement, it removes privacy from the workplace entirely. Without concrete divisions among employees, this could encourage coworkers to socialize more, but perhaps also work less. 

While office renovations tend to be the most common fix to the open office design, other corporations turn to enact indoor voice rules. By encouraging employees to use their indoor or library voice, you eliminate the noise and make the office a more welcoming and calming place.

Lack of Appropriate Work Tools

In order to do any job right, it's always essential to have the right tools. For corporate offices, the "right" work tools do not end with having tables, chairs, computers, air conditioning, and coffee makers; in today's health-conscious world, it has also become important for companies to invest in ergonomic office equipment.

These can help employees avoid a sedentary lifestyle that often brings adverse effects on their health. Body pain has become very common among people working in office environments. This has also become a sort of distraction to the employees. This is because the discomfort restrains them from feeling and working at their best. 

That is why, as mentioned before, to fight this problem, it is vital to utilize ergonomic equipment. Aside from working out, getting massages, or, in more severe cases, taking painkillers, one way to deal with body aches and pains is through using motorized sit-and-stand desks. These, for starters, are the smarter and healthier counterparts of the usual, bulky office table. While these tables suffice in offices, they can be productivity killers if they do not offer the right support for employees. 

Can't Stay Focused?

Finally, the study by CareerBuilder also pointed at a very common productivity killer. This applies to anyone with internet access who may be guilty of: mindlessly scrolling through websites upon websites without a specific goal. In other words, spending too much time on the internet during your office hours. Let's try to avoid this activity as it takes away from productivity at the workplace. 

To increase your productivity levels and avoid common distractions at work, we should use our time wisely to give our best performance at work.