Keeping engaged and productive remains an essential part of any tech professional’s career success. Simply put, companies judge their employees by how much work they perform, with some using metrics to track this information. Because of this fact, avoiding distractions in the office helps IT pros keep their productivity level at its highest.
With a rewarding tech career as a goal, here are a few tips and tricks for avoiding distractions at your workplace. Leverage these ideas to keep your professional life trending upwards, and save the extraneous stuff for after-hours!
Create a Daily Plan – and Stick to It!
Planning every workday helps you stay focused while keeping any distractions to a minimum. Of course, your company influences any plan with meetings and other work-related activities. Still, having a to-do list lets you stay productive and gives you a sense of accomplishment as you complete every item on your list.
Break Up Larger Tasks into Smaller Units
Massive tasks tend to cause IT professionals to procrastinate. Breaking up these larger undertakings into smaller chunks of work helps you stay on target. In a similar manner as your daily plan, you also feel better about yourself when you finish each one.
Ultimately, this is a similar approach when a project manager builds a work breakdown structure. So, reach out to your managers for help in this area. They probably are doing something similar with your project assignments in the first place.
Don’t Multitask
Even though this seems counterintuitive, multitasking actually lessens your overall productivity. Completing smaller, sharply-defined tasks one at a time is the right approach, and it dovetails nicely with your daily planning efforts. It’s also compatible with the Lean offshoot of the Agile methodology, so speak with your managers about getting the whole team to follow its principles.
Resist the Social Media Urge at the Office
Social media and general Internet activity remain one of the biggest workplace distractions for any IT professional. Keeping your smartphone off at work definitely boosts your overall productivity level. At the minimum, silence your notifications or put your phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode when you are heads-down at your desk.
Additionally, limit any Internet activity to work-related research. Don’t worry; the Web will still be there when you get home! Remember, your company likely tracks any Internet usage.
When you need advice on taking your tech career to another level, talk with the recruiters at Peyton Research Group. One of the top technical staffing agencies in Texas, we know the companies looking for great candidates, like you. Connect with us as soon as possible!
