Productivity Tips - Eliminating Time Clutter

Clutter of any sort is a real productivity-killer. Business people are few and far between who can concentrate with a desk covered in random bits of paper. We all focus best when we have just a single task at hand, and I've yet to meet the person who gets more done in a cluttered house than a tidy one. Another sort of clutter, apart from the physical, is just as destructive to productivity -- time clutter. Today we look at what causes it, and what you can do about it!

What is time clutter?

You know what normal clutter is -- a whole heap of items piled together without rhyme or reason. Time clutter is when many disparate tasks intrude on your time without regard to organization. You could also think of it as task clutter -- although many of the things that comprise time clutter are actually self-imposed tasks. It's not just that you are busy!

Why does time clutter have such an impact?

Neuroscientific studies have shown that when you switch from one task to another, your cerebral cortex (responsible for most conscious thought) has to consult a specific region of the brain for permission to switch tasks, and when the distraction is over, for permission to switch back. This switching actually accounts for around 7/10ths of a second each time … but the impact on the time taken from your day is much larger. The same studies showed that:

• Tasks were completed much quicker without distractions, even when removing the distraction time from the equation
• There were fewer errors in the tasks when completed without distraction
• People 'felt' more productive and satisfied with their job when they focused from start to finish.

Sources of time clutter

These differ for everybody, but some common sources of time clutter are:

• Checking emails
• Surfing the web
• Phone calls - either incoming or outgoing
• Co-workers asking questions
• Simple distractability - swapping tasks before finished

Time journals

The easiest way to determine what's eating at your time, your business focus and your mental wellbeing is to keep a time journal. Set an alarm on your phone or computer to beep once every five minutes on a typical workday. (Yes, I understand this will be distracting in itself!) Record what you were doing for the past five minutes. Alternatively, every time you switch tasks at work you can record what you were doing - although the temptation to ignore the 60 seconds it took to log into your email and have a look through is very strong!

Discipline

This is the final step in eliminating time clutter -- and probably the most complex. Either discipline yourself, or train those around you, to focus on a task when you are doing one. Make it a rule that if your door's shut, questions will have to wait. Set a time to check emails and Facebook. Divert the phone to voicemail for a set period. Then don't feel bad … feel good that you've eliminated time clutter from your business life!