Dealing with Distractions

Wait, what did you say?

Distractions are often the biggest threat to career success. They get in the way of our jobs and, if not handled correctly, they can keep us from achieving success.

In a lot of situations (especially work situations), how we handle distractions determines how successful we can be. Our biggest distractions come in three forms: people, thoughts, and things. While everyone understands the distractions from people and things, thoughts distract us when we have expectations or when we are anxious. Handling these distractions is all about focus.

Start by focusing on what’s in front of you right now. When your thoughts distract you, you’ll need to consciously redirect yourself to the task at hand. Over time, this will become habit. Some distractions – especially distractions that have to do with your thoughts on your career – can be incredibly difficult to overcome.