Today, we all have many demands on our time. At home, you have family, friends, and maybe even work still vying for your attention. At work, you have your personal life, coworkers, technology, and general stuff snapping fingers in hopes of gaining your attention. But you don’t have to live like that. There are small and simple changes you can start implementing that will make significant differences to your focus and productivity at work.

1. Use a Schedule

Do your best to create a schedule, especially for your work time, that will give you a clear plan of your day and what is expected. This will allow you to move from one task to the next without having to stop and decide what to do next. Also, keep in mind that schedules are not the end-all-be-all, sometimes things change.

2. Make a Clean Workspace

Be it your kitchen counter while you are cooking dinner or your desk at work, keeping a clean and tidy workspace will help clear the mental clutter as well. There will be fewer distractions and you won’t waste time cleaning your desk.  If there is continual clutter, figure out why.  Do you need all that?   Can you give some things away?  Can you file some things?  A clean area is more inviting to get work done.

3. Put Blinders On

This means all the blinders. Turn your phone on silent, stop notifications, and keep unnecessary tabs closed on your computer. Technology is fantastic, but it can also serve as a major distraction throughout our workday. Take into consideration how much time you spend clicking and scrolling needlessly.

4. Let Others Know You’re Working

Put a sign on your door, put on your headphones, or whatever it is you need to do to minimize distractions from other human beings. Letting others know that you’re working and prefer not to be disturbed will give you time to work and is a polite way of saying, “I’m happy to help but not until later.”  It can give family and friends some clues about your schedule.  Particularly if you are homeschooling, let them know that during certain hours you are not available to chat.  You have to set limits on how much other people can take of your time.

5. Know Your Habits

We all have habits that dictate when we are most and least productive. Pay attention to yours and use them to your advantage. If morning is your most productive time of the day, then that is the best time to shut your door and work on the big, hard tasks of the day. If you know that you always hit a wall right before lunch, use that time to pick up your desk and take a stroll to the water cooler.

Finding your work groove can be challenging; however, taking the time to make small steps in the right direction will allow you to create a workday that is productive and meaningful.