It is not a big secret that we are really dived in such environments that we easily get distracted to things that do not bring any benefit to us. This is true especially for those of us who have their work tied up to a computer. A lot of temptations are stimulating us to satisfy our short term appetites that we have about getting informed the moment the news comes. All these distractions are costing us too much time in our lives and I wanted to share with you an insight that I had about the reason behind our attraction towards them.
The following gif summarizes quite well the evolution of the work desk and how a lot of things that used to be kept placed in a work desk have been now ported to our computer devices. This has been one of the greatest accomplishments that has been done in recent years towards simplifying our day-to-day lives. However, it has also had its down sides like preventing us from focusing properly on work and also wasting too much time in front of a screen.
Having the chance to see a new YouTube video that has been posted recently, or being able to send a message to the friend you have not seen for a long period of time can be compelling, but also distractions that were not present in the past. I am not saying that you should never do these things, but it is important to set at least a schedule when you will do them, and not mix them up when you are supposed to be working.
It is now harder than ever to concentrate and to focus on the things that you are supposed to do. The new IQ is the ability to concentrate on the task at hand. This skill is becoming rare and at the same time very valuable, especially for the knowledge workers.