We are repeatedly bombarded by data overload via our push notifications, social media notices, text messages, phone calls, e-mails, Skype chats and news alerts on a daily basis. It is marvelous to always be connected, in touch and just a mere keystroke away. You are never alone and continuously up to date in both your personal and professional life. But there is a hitch and that is the negative impact it has on our concentration.

As a technologically in-tune society, we must learn to filter the urgency of our incoming communications in order to remain dedicated to the tasks at hand. The constant interruptions have a pronounced impact on our productivity and efficiency level, never mind time management. If we continue to allow outside distractions to compete for our time and focus, we are unable to give our absolute attention to our present moment and activities.

Computerworld reports that we are now living in a world of “interruption technology.”

Learning to unplug and tune out can present a challenge for many, but as an entrepreneur, it is paramount to your success, effectiveness and time management. Researchers at the University of Kent in Australia monitored the eye movements of 100 people using an eyeball-tracking camera. They asked the participants to read a section of text on a computer screen, before disturbing them with one-minute messages – like phone calls. The research subjects were then told to resume the original reading, while the eye-tracking camera analyzed how they did so. The investigators discovered that there was an average 17% increase in the total time it took to read the whole passage on the screen.

Psychology lecturer Ulrich Weger was quoted as saying: “I wasted time by reading emails whenever they came into my inbox. I noticed that once I had started reading the name of the sender, I read the first line of the text. Once I mastered that, I continued reading the entire message, and once I got to that point, I felt compelled to respond because there was no point in leaving an already half-finished task. Then sometimes I needed extra information to answer the message, so had to add other tasks.” Which meant it was harder to get back to the original task.

Now just imagine all of the alerts and communications you receive during the day; probably much more than what was instituted in the above research. If there was a 17% increase in the length of time it took to read the passage, can you imagine how your output is affected with a continual barrage of steady disturbances?

Here are a few tips to assist you in halting unnecessary diversions:

1. Schedule time on your calendar to tune out and turn off
2. Let others know you are “off limits” during certain working hours
3. Close the door or put on earbuds
4. Silence your Smartphone
5. Just say NO to social media! (Facebook and Twitter updates are always accessible).
6. Shutdown everything that notifies you of an alert, sound, or other announcement (your e-mail will still be waiting for you).
7. COMMIT to your decision to focus and jump in with gusto
8. Once your project is completed, come up for air, stretch, respond to voicemails, text messages and other communications.
9. Grab an energy snack to refuel for your next session

Remember, being offline is an industrious act toward completing your projects, achieving your goals and remaining on task.  You will see a considerable increase in your productivity as you continue to shield yourself from outside disturbances.

Turning off isn’t just for the business world. We are electronically tethered 24/7 and this crosses into our personal boundaries.  It becomes too much when we allow technology to consume our time and energy away from the present moment, sacrificing the things that truly matter.

How do you tune out and limit distractions?