How can you stay focused and avoid distractions when working on a deadline?

My own experience shows me that time invested in thinking (brainstorming, scribbling, writing, coding or analysing) is well invested, also when under time-pressure. Of course you have to deal also with employees or clients and other demands, but the ideal schedule for me (which I do not always reach ;-) is to do thinking in the morning hours and the other stuff after lunch. Perhaps your own preference is vice versa, but anyhow do reserve some time for your own brain.

I use an outline delineated by priority and always leave space or have a section for those matters that arise ad hoc. 1) planned or schedule imminent matters. 2) planned or scheduled up coming matters that are not imminent. 3) ad hoc matters or those issues that arise without planning, notice, or schedule.

Begin with the end in mind. Envision the final objective or work product. Then brainstorm and postulate what it takes to achieve the objective. Engage your PM and share the vision and work on the timeline and intermediate deadlines, etc. then pick the starting point and structure the task to establish the way forward.

In my professional experience, I've frequently encountered numerous deadlines, many of which have overlapped. To me, managing deadlines is like transferring stones of varying sizes from one bowl to another. These stones can be categorized into small and large ones. While the small stones may appear less time-consuming, they hold equal significance and can sometimes divert attention from the larger stones. Addressing the bigger stones demands more time, meticulous study, team discussions, and decision-making. Recently, I have prioritized focusing on these substantial tasks—the "big stones"—recognizing that they require dedicated attention and strategic handling to ensure successful outcomes.

I have always used a timeline with realistic milestones. It helps keep each professional on-task and lets me know if someone needs help without feeling like a micro-manager.

I allow my brain to run wild at first, collecting as many ideas and possibilities as it can come up with. Once that is done, organization becomes important and happens quite naturally. So I do it by not over-focussing on being super organized initially. Once all required material is available, there is more motivation to work through it and it is less time consuming to put pieces together, with more motivation.

Imagina el producto o servicio final, como se vería, que características tendría y de-construye a partir de allí, con claridad de cuáles son tus Rocas grandes.

Elabora un mapa mental. Eso te da claridad en el proceso y evita que te saltes pasos. Puedes utilizar una aplicación o hacerlo en papel.

Para mi una estrategia de éxito es tratar de estimar el alcance de lo que se requiere lograr. Por lo general, empiezo por una lista de acciones necesarias para construir con ello un plan de trabajo que posteriormente será asignado y delimitado en tiempos. Esto podría ser una forma de iniciar.

Na área socioambiental é sempre importante o planejamento e o conhecimento dos atores sociais, suas opiniões e suas aspirações. Obviamente, uma vez concluído o trabalho e com seus objetivos alcançados, os stakeholders devem ser outra vez ouvidos.

En otras palabras: Planea tu plan. Esto te dará más seguridad cuando la incertidumbre llegue. Antes de hacer tu schedule define bien tu scope y las actividades de cada paquete de trabajo.

To plan schedules and resources as an Admin, I first have to gain a clear understanding of the tasks, projects, or activities that need to be scheduled. I also have to evaluate the resources at my disposal, whether it's budgeting, equipment, or any other necessary assets. It is very important to create a schedule that outlines the timeline for each task. To consider deadlines and priorities and much more to name here.

Plan, plan, and plan. Have to work from home with a 1 year old, but need to get that report finalized by the end of the day. Have a plan to be able to get the time you need to complete the required tasks.

O principal passo para um plano bem executado, sem dúvidas, é um bom planejamento. Já experimentei de todas as formas (planners digitais, online, planilhas, agendas, etc) e é difícil falar uma vez que não funcionou. Planejar é otimizar tempo; é sempre estar preparado.

In my work, I require a lot of research to be able to do my job. I make sure to consider this in my planning and I organize my schedule in such a way that the hardest is done first, when I am well rested and my mind is sharper.

Cada ser humano tem a sua forma de aprendizagem e seu ritmo de execução, respeitar essas características é primordial. Nos dias atuais existe um leque imenso de ferramentas que nos auxiliam nesse processo de planejamento, desde um planner de papel bem estruturado a APPs de gerenciamento tempo que proporcionam uma organização bem estratégica para o dia a dia. Usufruir de ferramentas úteis otimizam o tempo.

In the dynamic and rapidly evolving world, I recognize the need for agility and refrain from extensive planning that may consume valuable time. However, this does not imply a lack of planning altogether. As a seasoned development practitioner, my approach involves meticulous planning for both outcomes and outputs, complemented by a well-thought-out contingency plan to address unforeseen changes or risks. Acknowledging the time constraints often associated with projects and activities, where extensions are discouraged, I prioritize swift initiation. Commencing projects or activities promptly allows for genuine collaboration and the fine-tuning of actions as we progress. Central to my approach is adaptive management, a crucial element.

Experience is the best teacher for this. I cannot count how many times on both hands, and both feet that I have left an important tool somewhere or not had something important, and had to reschedule a job however, as I became more experienced and understood the job better, then it became second nature to simply have what I need on hand.

I always get the heads of each department involved in the planning process at the earliest possibility. After having actively headhunted the personell in my team, I'm fully aware and fairly confident of their capabilities and their efficiency in delivering in time. We then hold a weekly progress meeting where key issues are raised and delegated to a responsible person with a realistic and achievable target date. Getting everyone involved and giving them a voice is what builds a team that delivers.

Nothing gets solved by itself. No solutions are given. Get started and get engaged. Plan not only the goal, but also milestones.

In my experience it is also important to actually be sometimes absent, be unavailable elcetronically, ignore the screens and just use pencil and paper and scribble something. Electronic detox, if I may say. A slow walk in nature, alone or with a colleague, can be so fruitful.

No tiene gran ciencia, pero si requiere mucha disciplina: haz una lista de las 5 cosas más importantes que debes enfocarte y que tienen el mayor impacto y el deliverable más próximo, encontrarás allí , tu ruta crítica, ordena esas 5 tareas por prioridad y divide el día en 5 tractos de 1 a 2 horas. Así empieza por la prioridad 1,luego la 2, etc.

I ignore my phone after 10pm and won't answer or look at it untill I arrive in work the following morning. It takes me approx 45 minutes to drive to work, I always find this my most productive way to plan my way around the day as it is literally the only time I find i get to myself.

Turn off all notifications. Set your phone in flight mode. Look out the window for at least 15 minutes. Then sometimes magic happens…

An example of eliminating or minimizing distractions; is when I am working on a project or some thing that is tedious, I place a sign on my door for others to know I am in a meeting and can not be disturbed. On the sign I place who they can contact if they need immediate assistance. This allows me the time I need to work on projects and deadlines, while minimizing distractions.

To eliminate or minimize distraction is always best to set the workspace in a way where you won't get distracted. For example, I get distracted if my workspace is messy because I will start to clean my space and lose precious time. Clean all clutter the day before to minimize the distraction for the following day. Make a list of all tasks, determine your most important task, and allocate a specific time on when you want to finish it and reach that time GOAL!! Take breaks regularly, work on something else clear your mind, and come back to the task at hand. Also, practice self-discipline, stay committed to your work goal, and set boundaries for yourself. Honestly find a method that works for you. (don't forget the coffee and good music)

Em um mundo cheio de distrações, principalmente o celular, é difícil focar 100% em alguma coisa. Porém é importante minimizar ao máximo as distrações para que seu trabalho seja bem executado ou usar a tecnologia a seu favor. Como por exemplo, colocar um timer de quanto tempo irá ficar sem usar o celular, deixar o celular carregando em outro cômodo, utilizar o modo “não pertube” ou alterar o tempo de uso do celular nas configurações.

What works for me is focusing on my work for 15 minutes, then take a break of 5. During those 15 minutes, I won't attend any phone call nor read any incoming email. My phone is muted, so it doesn't bother me, and I have a sticker on my laptop to remind my colleagues know that I am not available while the laptop is open. During the 5 minutes breaks, I can check my email, call back, send messages or go get a coffee.

It is essential for one to avoid electronic gadgets such as phones while working to avoid any distractions. Switching off your phone notifications allows you to concentrate on the task at hand leading to higher productivity.

Eliminar e minimizar distrações nesse mundo tecnológico exige disciplina, desde uma simples atitude de “temporizar” o seu uso diário de redes sociais que roubam seu tempo, a atitudes de conhecimento profundo sobre a concentração e de como encontrar a maneira certa de entrar em “estado de flow”, é uma virada de chave precisa no foco total.

Mi querida amiga @Emilie Ly me enseñó esto: “ Una montaña se mueve piedra por piedra…no es una carrera de sprint de 100mts, es una maratón” por eso debes hacer “Power naps” de 5-15 minutos. Meditación es la clave!

Uma mente cansada não consegue raciocinar direito, portanto não irá entregar bons resultados. É importantíssimo tirar um ar fresco ou tirar alguns minutos do dia para colocar a cabeça de volta ao lugar e conseguir focar novamente. Quando trabalho muito tempo, defino uma meta para quando alcança-la eu possa desfrutar de um bom chocolate e respirar um ar fresco.

Es muy importante tomar pequeños descansos para volver a trabajar con los mismos ánimos. Pero hay que tener mucho cuidado de que esos pequeños descansos no lleguen a la procrastinación.

By taking short 5 minutes breaks often (and a 15 minutes one after 3 short breaks) allows me to stay focused without any burnout, and at the end of the day, I am more productive than working non stop. I make less mistakes, I finish faster and I can double-check my work without stressing out. It makes me feel satisfied with my work and motivates me to do it again next day.

O nosso cérebro gosta de economia de energia e de recompensas, saber usar esses gatilhos ao nosso favor é uma auxílio para manter-se focado no resultado esperado. Um breve intervalo no dia faz toda a diferença na produtividade, e a neurociência comprova com exatidão que atitudes, como: leitura, ter vida social e se exercitar são feitos essenciais para um bom funcionamento dos neurônios e as sinapses cerebrais.

Engaging in regular sports not only contributes to maintaining physical fitness but also serves as a source of energy for tackling significant tasks. The consistency in sporting activities cultivates mental clarity, enhances overall energy levels, and fosters a heightened efficiency when undertaking important tasks.

In my experience I set a task list the day before. Once I have completed 3 hours of work I then reward myself with 5 minute meditation from an app called The Insight Timer. Meditation allows me to refresh my mind and complete new task. After an additional 3 hours I go for a 15 minute walk. And the last 3 hours I do a meditation again to clear my mind. This has really worked for me in maintaining less stress in my career.

Receiving timely and constructive feedback from both supervisors and colleagues is instrumental in optimizing work efficiency and ensuring the successful meeting of crucial deadlines. Such feedback not only provides valuable insights but also serves as a catalyst for continuous improvement, fostering a collaborative environment that promotes high-quality outputs and punctual project deliveries.

I am a new GM, sometimes I may need support in navigating things that have less than a 24 hour turnaround time. I reach out to my mentor,colleagues, or lastly my leader for help. Also, after presentations I ask for feedback on what I did well, and what I could improve on.

En muchos casos cuando se ejecutan tareas que no se realizan a diario es muy importante una retroalimentación por parte de personas más experimentadas.

Asking for feedback or support is not being insecure or showing weakness, but exactly the opposite. It takes a lot of work to write that document, design that project, plan for it and make it happen, and you might want to make sure everything will go as close as possible to plan and give the results you look for. An advice from a colleague, a potential issue pointed out on time, and even a naive question may save you a headache and a double effort.

A good support system of people experienced in your field of work or just know you well is beyond worth it’s weight in gold. Be careful who you let speak into you, because words can be a sweet salve or a toxic poison.

Cut over plan and exit criteria well defined will help you to assure quality reviews captures quality issues on time. Remember the process of quality begins at early stage of your product development.

Seek feedback, more importantly, seek consumer level feedback. Often times experts can have an opinion that may not be what you’re looking for and depending on your market, it may be more prudent to seek somebody who is not an expert in your field to check the work anyway. This way you have an expert and an outward opinion.

I’m just finishing up a major machine guarding and interlocking project that is to completed by year end. We just met with contractors and it will be done ahead of schedule. This happened because Weekly progress meetings Be honest if there is a problem or delay Keep communications open at all times Have a plan and stick with it One person in charge One common goal One main objective Don’t flinch Merry Christmas