Do you ever sit down to work, only to realize hours later that you have gotten very little done? You feel like you have been busy all day, yet you have not made much progress in the manuscript you are writing, and have not even started the newsletter you are supposed to send out.

If you answered yes, you are not alone.

With the ever growing and changing presence of technology, it’s no surprise that we are feeling like our work never ends.  After all, communication is no longer something that is done only face-to-face, and workdays no longer fit within a 9-5 schedule. Because of this, more and more people are constantly plugged in at all hours. And that constant communication provides a constant distraction from the work that needs to be done.

As a writer who works remotely, and in a different time zone from my co-workers, it’s not unusual for work-related emails to appear in my inbox after-hours (or on the weekends). And given the fact that modern technology has allowed for remote offices to become a common thing, it is not unusual for companies to have employees not only within different time zones, but in different countries around the world. That equates to a lot of business being done at all hours of the day.

Emails are far from the worst culprits of distraction, though. In fact, studies have found that Smartphones are the most distracting thing in human history at this point. And distraction is the number one effectiveness killer.

So, how can we battle these constant distractions and improve productivity?

According to this article from LADDERS, the answer can be found in 10 simple changes we can make.

Some of their suggestions, such as turning off the notifications on your phone and writing down the tasks that need to be completed, may seem like common sense. But, have you considered wearing the same clothes every day or scheduling your coffee breaks at a later time? 

Or, how about ditching your office and doing your work from the local coffee shop instead?

While these suggestions may surprise you, they are tried-and-true ways to trick your brain into being more productive.

So, next time you find yourself procrastinating and giving in to the distractions around you, give some of these a try! And let us know how it goes.