Brian Tracy presents a short YouTube talk on four common distractions that reduce productivity and how to avoid them. He recommends: planning your day the night before to create and stick to a schedule; going offline or limiting smartphone/Internet use while working and during downtime; starting work earlier in the morning to use distraction-free hours for high-focus tasks; and decluttering your workspace to reduce visual and task-switching distractions. The video closes with a motivational exhortation and a viewer call-to-action (comment, subscribe, free gift).
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Hello, I'm Brian Tracyan. Today I want to talk to you about some of today's top distractions and how you can avoid them. One thing for certain is that we live in a world with no shortage of distractions. From technology that connects us to everything and everyone, to the endless sources of entertainment all around us, modern life is a landmine full of distractions capable of derailing your progress every day and throughout each day. If you want to ensure both your personal and your professional success, though, it's important to avoid these distractions as best as possible. If you're looking for a way to avoid distractions and be more productive each day, here are a few great tips to consider. First, plan your day the night before. There's something to be said for the value of having a schedule in place when you plan out each day the night before, you will begin to see distractions more for what they are, something that is going to halt your progress and keep you from sticking to the schedule that you planned out originally. Each afternoon, before you call it a day, take the time to plan out the things you want to accomplish the next day and the schedule you want to stick to, perhaps writing them down in a planner or in a document on your computer. These can be work related tasks that you want to get done, as well as breaks and time for relaxation that you want to schedule in. If you're able to plan out your day beforehand, though, you'll be much more likely to stick to that plan and avoid distractions that could derail it. Second, go offline. The Internet and all that it provides access to is by far the number one distraction of modern times. While many people work online and are therefore unable to avoid the Internet while they work, going offline while you go about completing your daily tasks is a great way to avoid many distractions if you're able to do so. At the very least, set your smartphone aside while you work and only check it occasionally during your breaks, maybe once an hour. A phone buzzing with notifications is going to be a much bigger distraction than a computer that is connected to the Internet and turned off, except when you want to check it. Also, in the same way that going offline can make you more productive while you work, going offline during your time off can be incredibly beneficial as well. Take some time to disconnect from the Internet and truly enjoy the world and people around you. If you do, you'll likely find your time off to be more refreshing and enjoyable. Next, Start earlier in the morning. The early morning hours are some of the most valuable hours of the Entire day Not only are you going to be much more motivated and determined when you first start the day, distractions tend to typically pile up more and more as the day goes by. Try tackling the projects that require the most focus out of you in the early hours of the morning. If you're able to wake up and get started in the calm, peaceful hours of early dawn, before most people have started their day and before most distracting things have begun, even better. The more you make use of the distraction free hours of the early morning, the more productive you will be all day long. Finally, declutter your workspace Clutter and distractions go hand in hand. Every piece of clutter in your space is an individual source of distraction, and taken as a whole, clutter can be even more distracting than just its individual bars. It's no doubt hard to stay focused and concentrate when you're surrounded by mess and disorganization. Clutter also forces you to take time to search for the things that you need, which in turn creates a window for you to be sidetracked from what you need to be focusing on right now. Take the time to declutter your space and create both a work and living space that is organized and clutter free. When you're done, you'll likely have an environment that lends itself far better to focus and concentration than it did before. Before we wrap up, I'd like to leave you with a thought to share with your friends and followers. There are no shortcuts to be a big success. Start a little earlier, work a little harder, and stay a little later. Now I'd love to hear from you. So my question today is what is distracting you from the success that is possible for you? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to follow up with you. Thanks for watching. And remember, if you want to change your future, take action and take action now. If you enjoyed this video and feel it was valuable in teaching you about how to avoid today's top distractions, subscribe to my Channel like this video and share this video with your friends. Don't forget to click the button on the screen for a free gift. Thanks again for watching.
