{"id":130389,"date":"2024-09-20T09:28:35","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T13:28:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=130389"},"modified":"2024-09-23T10:29:51","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T14:29:51","slug":"how-to-stay-on-task","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stay on Task: Tackling Distraction &#038; Procrastination"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Do you struggle to stay focused on your tasks? Are you looking for effective strategies to combat procrastination and boost productivity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/task-shifting\/\">how to stay on task<\/a> is crucial in today&#8217;s world of constant distractions. We&#8217;ll review various techniques to manage external interruptions and overcome internal emotional hurdles that lead to procrastination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to discover ways to transform your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/relationship-to-time\/\">relationship with time<\/a> and make it work for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-staying-on-task\">Staying on Task<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you plan out your schedule and start regularly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-track-your-time\/\">tracking your time<\/a>, you may become acutely aware of all of the forces trying to derail your plans. It takes practice and a conscious act of will to stick to your schedule and avoid distractions, whether they\u2019re external (such as phone notifications) or internal (such as procrastination). We&#8217;ll address how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/stay-on-task\/\">stay on task<\/a>, dealing with the easy part first\u2014external distractions. Then we&#8217;ll tackle the more difficult emotional hurdles that trigger procrastination. If you can overcome your emotional roadblocks, you can make time work <em>for <\/em>you rather than be something you have to fight <em>against<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-digital-distractions\">Digital Distractions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The barrage of modern media is so overwhelming that it takes more than sheer strength of will to keep it at bay. In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/make-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Make Time<\/em><\/a>, tech industry insiders Jake Knapp and John Zeratzky assert that you have to deliberately <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/make-time#take-time-back-from-technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">put barriers in place to keep your devices from stealing your time<\/a>.<strong> The single most pernicious device that impinges on your schedule is your smartphone.<\/strong> Knapp and Zeratsky recommend that you delete all social media apps, games, and even your email from your phone. If that\u2019s too extreme, they suggest you turn off all notifications and remove the apps from your homescreen, forcing you to <em>choose <\/em>when to use each app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the workplace, <strong>the other main external distractor is email, which many of us feel obliged to respond to,<\/strong> even if it isn\u2019t important and we have to drop whatever we\u2019re doing so we can reply to a message. Knapp and Zeratsky offer several strategies to take control of your email time, such as only responding to email at the end of the day, or maybe according to an email schedule in which you only check it two or three times per day. (This can be especially useful if you communicate with people in various time zones.) Whatever you do, you should budget email time in your schedule, using apps to lock you out if you have to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-procrastination\">Procrastination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, there isn\u2019t an app that can easily stop you from procrastinating. In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-procrastination-cure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Procrastination Cure<\/em><\/a>, Damon Zahariades says <strong>procrastination is to delay action on something that\u2019s in your best interest to do now.<\/strong> Most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/reasons-why-we-procrastinate\/\">reasons for procrastination<\/a> are rooted in the fact that <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-procrastination-cure#the-fundamental-issue-youre-wired-to-seek-immediate-rewards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">your brain prefers immediate rewards to delayed gratification<\/a>. Put another way, procrastination is a conflict between the interests of Present You and Future You. Present You wants to have fun, even if it makes life hard for Future You. The more difficult and complex a task is, the greater the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-incentive-meaning-and-definition-economics\/\">incentive<\/a> your brain needs to do it. Meanwhile, the future\u2019s uncertainty makes thinking about your future\u2019s best interests anxiety-inducing and something to avoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, Zahariades suggests that <strong>the emotional culprit behind most procrastination is fear.<\/strong> Your fear <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-procrastination-cure#overcome-the-fears-that-hold-you-back\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">can take many forms<\/a>, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-overcome-fear-of-failure\/\">fear of failure<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/fear-of-success-psychology\/\">fear of success<\/a>: When a task involves something you don\u2019t believe you\u2019re good at, you\u2019ll naturally want to avoid it. Conversely, you\u2019ll also avoid doing a task if you\u2019re nervous about what might happen if you do it well, such as increasing your workload or putting yourself under more scrutiny. Zahariades suggests shifting your perspective or using logic to expose your fears as irrational. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/reframing-thoughts\/\">Reframe failure<\/a> as a chance to learn, evaluate how realistic your fears are, and consider the outcomes of procrastination, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/getting-overwhelmed\/\">feeling overwhelmed<\/a> later while you\u2019re scrambling to meet deadlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-now-habit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Now Habit<\/em><\/a>, Neil Fiore recommends that you <strong>change your relationship with work and leisure time.<\/strong> First of all, you should <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-now-habit#part-2-how-to-overcome-procrastination\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">change your self-talk<\/a>. Procrastinators typically talk to themselves in \u201chave to\u201d and \u201cshould\u201d statements\u2014both of which build negative feelings that lead to procrastination. Fiore says that you can shift your self-talk to emphasize personal choice\u2014for instance, instead of saying you \u201chave to\u201d or \u201cshould\u201d do something, tell yourself you \u201cchoose to\u201d or \u201cwant to\u201d do that thing. This kind of reframing removes unnecessary stress and judgment from your self-talk and puts the emphasis on your desires and your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/freedom-to-choose\/\">freedom to choose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-making-time-flow\">Making Time Flow<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Fiore argues that <strong>you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stop-procrastinating-and-start-studying\/\">avoid procrastination<\/a> if you design your schedule so you can enter a <em>state of flow<\/em><\/strong>\u2014a feeling of enhanced calm, concentration, and creativity. Fiore suggests that you can enter a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/flow-state-complete-guide\/\">flow state<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-now-habit#strategy-4-learn-to-focus-while-working\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">performing focusing and relaxation exercises<\/a>, which combine deep breathing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/eckhart-tolle-meditation-mindfulness\/\">mindfulness<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/affirmation-and-visualization-7-habits\/\">affirmations<\/a>. The concept of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/flow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>flow<\/em><\/a>, first coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is a frame of mind in which you become so engrossed in what you\u2019re doing that you enter a state of optimal creativity. Managing time is no longer an issue\u2014you may even lose the sense that time is passing. When you enter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-flow-state-2\/\">a state of flow<\/a>, you experience <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/flow\/chapter-1#flow-a-clue-toward-happiness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">true enjoyment, control over your feelings, and a greater sense of purpose and meaning<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although you\u2019ll probably feel relaxed when experiencing flow, Csikszentmihalyi found that <strong>people <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/flow-experience\/\">experience flow<\/a> when they deal with challenges that engage an above-average number of their skills. <\/strong>He also found that the more regularly a person is in flow, the more likely they\u2019ll describe feeling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/flow\/chapter-7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">active, creative, and motivated<\/a>. Unfortunately, it might not always be possible to enter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/steven-kotler-flow-state\/\">a flow state<\/a> on demand. Csikszentmihalyi says that in some cases, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/flow\/chapter-7#to-find-flow-adapt-or-find-new-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">you might need to change jobs<\/a> in order to find work that triggers flow for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you struggle to stay focused on your tasks? Are you looking for effective strategies to combat procrastination and boost productivity? Learning how to stay on task is crucial in today&#8217;s world of constant distractions. We&#8217;ll review various techniques to manage external interruptions and overcome internal emotional hurdles that lead to procrastination. Keep reading to discover ways to transform your relationship with time and make it work for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":130418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,30],"tags":[1594],"class_list":["post-130389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-self-improvement","category-work","tag-the-master-guides-time-management","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Stay on Task: Tackling Distraction &amp; Procrastination - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You can make time work for you rather than be something you have to fight against. 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Learn how to stay on task and get more done than ever.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-20T13:28:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-23T14:29:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/wordpress.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/man-and-woman-working-at-home.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1344\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elizabeth Whitworth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elizabeth Whitworth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elizabeth Whitworth\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d2928cf6c11a69ced1491d6a5b74fb13\"},\"headline\":\"How to Stay on Task: Tackling Distraction &#038; Procrastination\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-20T13:28:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-23T14:29:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/\"},\"wordCount\":988,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/man-and-woman-working-at-home.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"The Master Guides: Time Management\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Self-Improvement\",\"Work\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/\",\"name\":\"How to Stay on Task: Tackling Distraction & Procrastination - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-stay-on-task\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/man-and-woman-working-at-home.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-20T13:28:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-23T14:29:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"You can make time work for you rather than be something you have to fight against. 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