Distractions get in the way every day, keeping you from being as productive as you might like. These distractions come in many forms, from ringing doorbells and telephones, to emails and voicemails.

It can be a real challenge to stay focused. So, how do you go about disregarding all these disturbances so you can get your work done?

It's tough, but there are ways to reduce potential interruptions.

Some strategies to use for taking control of your distractions:

1. Telephone distractions. Unless you're expecting an important call, turn off your ringer and direct all calls to voicemail. Consider one or two predetermined times per day when you check your voicemail.

* Return the calls you must, but if you can reply via email, that's okay too. Keep the conversation succinct when you email.

2. Email interruptions. Use filters. Also, unsubscribe from email lists you no longer find worthwhile, and set up separate email accounts for business and entertainment. This way, when you're trying to work, you don't find yourself bombarded with jokes, videos, party invites, or Facebook messages. (You don't have to read the O'Leary Letter as soon as it arrives, though that would be nice.)

* Reduce the frequency emails are delivered to your inbox or set your email so you only receive emails when you go in and manually retrieve them in batches. There are any number of strategies. Find one that works for you and stick to it.

3. The World Wide Web time drain. If you don't need the internet for your work, stay away from it. You'll save yourself a lot of wasted time. Same goes for all your social media accounts—while I could eliminate them completely, simply turning off notifications on my "phone" has drastically reduced the time-suck social media offers.

* Close web browsers so you eliminate the temptation to "surf." Use bookmarks, if you need, and then close all open tabs that "you're going to get to eventually." Inevitability, you won't return to about 80 percent of those pages you "really needed" to stay open (using my own experience as a guide).

4. Co-workers. If you find that co-workers annoy you, wear headphones at your desk, even if it is to just give the illusion you can't hear them. It may look a bit silly, but it also eliminates being subjected to endless conversations you neither want or need to be involved in. "Be yourself," as we wrote about in yesterday's email.

* Another option is posting a "Do Not Disturb" sign outside of your workspace. Hopefully, your co-workers will respect that you mean business by honoring the sign's instruction.

5. Work space clutter. Get rid of any visual clutter—it's distracting and kills productivity. Seeing unfinished projects or pending work can cause unnecessary stress. This stress usually has negative results which tends to make you unable to focus on the task at hand. (This is one of my biggest continuing struggles that I try and "work through," with oftentimes middling results…at best.)

* Put everything you don't need for the one project you are working on into a drawer or a box that is out of sight. You can always sort it out carefully when you're less busy. The book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen is worth reading for help on this front.

* Same for computer clutter. Eliminate unneeded computer programs and icons to make your computer more efficient. The quicker you're able to find the file you need, the faster you'll be able to get back on track. (See the above comment on closing browser tabs.)

6. Work-at-home distractions. If you work from home, friends and family should respect the fact that you're working just like anyone who goes into an office. Some people may have a difficult time understanding this concept, but they'll do better when you explain it.

* Avoid doing household chores during your work time. Train your mind to think about these tasks when your work is finished.

When distractions do arise, whether at home or at the office, make notes and deal with them at an appropriate time at the end of the day. If someone pops by to chat, stand up to let them know your chatting time is limited. Don't allow them to sit or get cozy.

Of course, you still need to set aside time to handle these distractions. You don't want to be so restrictive on yourself that you burn out. After all, everyone benefits from a little guilt-free downtime.

It's okay to let your mind wander, browse the web, or do whatever appeals to you, just make sure it doesn't creep into your work time.

The above tips can be employed every day to make more effective use of your time and energy. When you eliminate distractions, you'll find that you can get more done in much less time.

Some final words: It is about creating forward momentum for yourself, not about being perfect.

Within our workday: We will get distracted. We will clutter up our workspace. We will space-out and surf the web for a while. That email notification will pop up and we will answer the bell.

As long as you notice these things and vow to eliminate more distraction in the future, you are making forward progress. This is a good thing. Consistency is better than proficiency.

We help with creating better systems for people and organizations to overcome these potential backslides. See if we can be of assistance for you.

As always,

Brian