在似乎是为多任务处理和注意力促进活动而设计的文化中，分散注意力已迅速成为许多人的常态。简单地站在排队的咖啡中可以是电子邮件回复，社交媒体更新，窃听，待办事项清单创建和文本消息的过山车。难怪您需要提升Java才能继续前进。
尽管处理多个任务是生活的日常工作，但这并不意味着大脑已经进化了。根据南加州大学的说法multitasking studiesnote that when we take on numerous tasks simultaneously, we tend to make more mistakes, retain less information and even make our brain less efficient.
When distraction becomes chronic, you could see other effects as well, such as lackluster athletic performance, less-than-ideal eating habits, interrupted sleep and higher stress levels.
“We’ve bought into this idea that if you can fit it all in, then you can have it all,” says Greg McKeown, author of “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.” “And when that happens, you’ll be happy. But how’s that working out for you?”
Fortunately, there are ways to turn the firehose of distractions into a more manageable stream of productivity. Here are five tips to get started:
1.设置计时器
If you’re taking on a certain task — for instance, doing a weight set at the gym, tackling a work project or making dinner from scratch — you can lessen distractions by estimating how long the task should take and setting a timer.
Because you know you only have a set amount of time, it tends to keep you on task instead of floating from one distraction to another, McKeown says.
2. LISTEN
Stop for a moment and sit back, perhaps close your eyes and focus only on what you hear, suggests Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, a former Microsoft Research fellow, business consultant and author of “The Distraction Addiction.”
Giving yourself an opportunity to have these moments of mindfulness strips down your experience to a bare minimum, he notes. It lets you hear what’s going on in your head, too.
他说：“即使只有几分钟的积极聆听也是非常有用的。”“在您的情况下深吸一口气，当您从练习中'回来'时，您可能会感到更加放松和专注。”
3. DEVELOP ROUTINES
For some, even the word “routine” makes them bristle, thinking they’ll have to endure the boredom of the same schedule, every day, forever and ever. But establishing a routine can have the opposite effect, McKeown believes.
“When you turn habits into an automatic routine, you’re actually freeing up your mind to some degree,” he says. An extreme example is Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who wore the exact same outfit — a mock turtleneck and jeans — every single day, so he wouldn’t waste time or focus on choosing clothes every morning.
You don’t have to skew to that degree (unless you love mock turtlenecks), but the concept of being more aware of what distracts you can be helpful. From there, you can build a routine that cuts down on those focus slayers.
4. DRINK WATER
When focusing is particularly difficult, it might be possible that there’s a physiological as well as a mental component at work. For example, you might just need a little more hydration.
In astudy，发表在《营养杂志》上时，参与者甚至在轻度脱水时都挣扎着集中精力和心理技能。可能是因为您大脑中的神经元可以检测到脱水，并且可以抛弃某些被认为是非必需的功能，例如聚焦的能力。
READ MORE >ELECTROLYTES AND THE BEST FOODS AND DRINKS FOR HYDRATION
Another advantage to drinking a glass of water is it forces you to stop your scurrying and pause for a moment. Sometimes, even that short reset can be helpful.
5.花点时间
通常，以相同的方式考虑重点。您正在学习一项新技能，这需要时间来建立和掌握。
You may get frazzled and overwhelmed when your focus seems gone for good, but if you can gently bring your attention back — even for a few seconds at a time — you’ll be increasing your ability to focus for longer periods of time.
麦基恩说：“我们已经在某种程度上被编程了，希望更多，越来越多。”“这种思维会增加您的干扰数量，并使集中精力非常困难。诀窍是减少，少，少，以便您主要关注对您最重要的事情。”
