Are you a doer or are you getting things done?
Are you a doer or are you getting things done?
That question hit me one evening as I stared at my reflection after another long day. I’d spent hours at the office, coming in early and staying late, constantly checking emails, hopping from one meeting to the next, and handling countless Slack messages. Yet, by the time I left, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I hadn’t accomplished anything meaningful. And after talking with friends and colleagues, I realised I wasn’t alone in feeling this way.
Employees typically allocate 57% of their time to communication tasks such as meetings, emails, and chats, while just 43% is dedicated to creation work, like working on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Why do so many of us wake up every morning to get out of bed, brush our teeth, and jump on this self-made hamster wheel? I believe it comes down to two key factors: distraction and choice.
Our world is humming with tech distractions. Apps, email, social media, smartwatches, and everything in between. Sit in any restaurant, waiting room, or even walk down the street, and you’ll see people glued to their screens. If you still aren’t convinced, take a look at just some of the recent stats on this;
- About 35% of workers feel they can never switch off their phones because their boss might email them at any time of day or night.
- 60% of the time we use an electronic device, we are using at least one other device at the same time.
- On average, people worldwide spend 6 hours and 35 minutes daily on screens. Since 2013, daily screen time has risen by more than 30 minutes (around 8%).
So it is reasonable to argue that whether at work, at home, or at school, technology is driving us to distraction. Although I agree with this, I believe that technology makes it easier for us to be distracted, but it’s not the root cause. Distraction has been around since the apple was known only as a fruit, with its origins going back as far as the 14th century. Technology is simply the latest excuse.
This brings us to choice. You can choose: stay focused or let distractions take over.
First, it’s crucial to remember that everything we do is a choice—it's all within our control. You might think you have no choice but to go to work, but you do. You could not work, but you’d also choose the consequence of not getting paid. Ultimately, you’re choosing to go to work because the outcome aligns with your priorities. The same applies to checking social media and how much time you spend in front of a screen.
Every decision we make is shaped by what we value most at the moment.
When we acknowledge that how we spend our time is our choice, the control shifts from the screen back to where it belongs—with us.
Tips for taking back control of your day;
- Set boundaries: Designate specific times for checking emails and social media to minimize interruptions. Take short (no screen!) breaks to clear your mind.
- Use time blocks: Allocate specific blocks of time for focused work, setting clear goals for what you want to accomplish in each session.
Inform your colleagues so they can schedule meetings outside of these periods, allowing for uninterrupted productivity.
- Prioritise tasks: Use a daily or weekly planner to identify your most important tasks and tackle them first.
- Limit notifications: Turn off non-essential notifications on your devices to reduce distractions.
- Practice mindfulness: When the day throws something unexpected at you, resist the urge to rush in and cancel your planned work. Take a few moments to choose whether it needs to be done today or can wait until tomorrow. Take a look at How to Say No at Work for some good questions to ask in this situation.
It’s important at this point to remember that we are simply humans and distraction is natural. With a little bit of planning and awareness of how we choose to spend our time, we can focus on getting things done and then open ourselves up to let life take care of the rest.
