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Distractions and Lack of Concentration
We live in a world that is crazy and full of distractions. During the past few years, we have become more and more surrounded by digital distractions such as social media, including Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and you name it. This has not only turned us into extremely absent-minded and preoccupied individuals but has also seriously affected our productivity. The moment we sit on our desks to finish a task, either our phones start ringing, or we somehow end up scrolling endlessly and staring at our laptop or smartphone screens. Frustrating, isn’t it? Now, some of us have found refuge in permanently deleting our social media accounts or seriously limiting our screen time, but even that does not work. With one click, we are able to retrieve our social media accounts and are back to business! Plus, we fear missing out on important news and losing touch with our loved ones, and this makes us want to go back to our social media accounts and check and re-check our message folders. In the midst of this craze is IT professionals, people who earn their bread and butter by working on computers day and night. These are the people who are most affected by the above-mentioned distractions. As they are in front of their screens all the time, avoiding distractions and focusing on the task becomes as difficult as ever. If you are one such professional who is confronted with such issues, we have got some tips for you to stay on task, stay motivated and focused, and waste as little time as possible.
Keeping Track of Time
The most important trick to save time is to keep track of it. In order to do so, you can set deadlines for yourself, set up timers on your mobile phone or computer, and get to work. Also, it helps to give yourself little challenges and assign milestones for the day, the hour, or the next few hours. If you find it difficult to discipline yourself like that, there is a Chrome extension out there that is called Strict Workflow. What it does is set timers of 25 minutes and helps you stay focused on your work. Quite handy, isn’t it?
Alternatively, you can use a number of Apps that are either available free or at very low costs to track your time and work progress. Some of these Apps include the Klokk App, which is priced at $19.99, Google Chrome PlugIn Task Timer, or a team time tracker known as Toggl, which is available both free as well as for $5-$59 per month, depending on your level of usage. These Apps are especially useful for professionals who work and charge their clients per hour. And according to human psychology, you tend to work faster and more efficiently when you know that the time is being recorded and you will be paid for each minute of your work.
Having Two Monitors
It is also a great idea for IT professionals to have two monitors. For example, if you find yourself getting distracted very often, you can keep one monitor for professional and the other for personal use. In this way, when you get bored or tired or simply need a break, you can turn to your personal monitor and have your moment of peace. We do understand that computer systems used by IT professionals are quite costly and advanced, that is why we have another recommendation for you: consider getting IT liability insurance. A Business and Office Insurance policy can come in handy in case your device gets broken, damaged, or stolen. Not only your devices but other valuables in your office can also be insured so you do not face a financial loss in the unfortunate event of a theft or another kind of damage. Life is unpredictable, isn’t it?
Avoiding Suspicious Websites and Links
Another very important and rather serious tip is to avoid clicking on suspicious websites and links, especially as an IT professional, because as an IT professional, your system contains sensitive data belonging to different clients, and cyber-attacks are becoming increasingly common day by day. Yes, such mishaps can happen with IT professionals as well! So, no matter how bored you are or how attractive and appealing an advertisement pop-up may seem, do not click on it because once you fall into the trap, you’ll end up losing time, energy, and precious data. In this regard, if you want to be super safe and covered, you can even consider looking into Cyber Liability Insurance. This type of IT insurance can save you from the trouble of paying for data recovery, system repair costs, or legal proceedings by clients if you do end up getting hacked, resulting in leakage of confidential data.
Keeping Files Organized and System Updated
While this may sound like clichéd advice, trust us, it is one of the evergreen productivity hacks. Keeping your files organized with clear names/dates will save you tons of time. Apart from that, it’s always advisable to keep your system updated as new updates usually have great user-friendly, more efficient, and more time-saving features.
Managing your Team efficiently
In case you have a team working for you or you are a part of a team working for a company, it’s always a good idea to have a good team spirit and working relation with the team members. A good working atmosphere ensures a healthy working environment that means more productivity and good work. Moreover, in case you fall sick, you always have someone from the team to cover up for you in your absence. Most importantly, if you are an employer, don’t forget to sign up for Employers’ Liability Insurance, as the health and safety of your employees should always come first. On the other hand, if you are an employee, make sure to talk to your employer about whether they have such an IT insurance policy in place. A safe working environment leads to more productivity and better value of time!