What are some tips for staying focused at work?

If people are your problem, get a pair of headphones. I know you've probably heard this one before, but it is very effective. Most people won't bother someone with headphones on, especially if they're the big cup kind.

If frustration's the problem, go take a break. You don't know how many times I've bashed my head against a website bug for hours, went out side for five minutes, came back, and solved the problem in three minutes. Put on some non-distracting music.

Happy music is good. Peaceful music is good, too, but may make you too relaxed to be productive, so use caution. Moody / depressing music is just that -- depressing.

Steer clear. Also be very cautous of rock music. It will give you energy in the short run, but is likely to wear on your nerves and cause more frustration in the long run.

Try to find a happy medium between happy and peaceful music for the best long-term results. Drink lots of water. It helps you think.

And steer clear of the soda. Soda can actually dehydrate you, besides being generally bad for you. If your job is such that you have trouble keeping your brain engaged (yes, those jobs do still exist), try listening to sermons or lectures while you work.

This may only distract you, but I find it helps me stay focused on what I'm doing for some reason. Keep learning about what you're doing. The best way to stay interested in your work, and therefore, more focused, is to challenge yourself to become more proficient, knowledgable, and professional at what you do.

Find some good blogs that cover what you do in your spare time (if they exist). Hope this helps, -- Narthur.

I always find myself going on these internet tangents--searching for one thing or another. Before I know it, I'm just browsing the net. They key to staying focused for me is setting up small tasks for myself to complete.

Once I complete a small task, I move on to the next one. If you think about it, the sole distraction at work is the internet. When writing large written assignments, I would oftentimes turn off my wireless card or unplug my Ethernet cable.

If your occupation requires the use of internet, focusing can be quite hard. In my personal experience, I open two google chrome browsers. One browser has my work-related tabs, while my other browser contains everything else.

This way I don't find myself mixing work-related sites with pleasure sites--this is the easiest way to get sidetracked. Lastly, I recommend you stay healthy and eat well. If you have ample energy, you are much more easily motivated and focused.

It is hard to stay focused if you don't actually have something to focus on. Sometimes it is very difficult for me because I don't have a constant workload. Often times I will have days of down time, with no real projects to work on.

Then I'll get slammed and not have enough hours in the day. I find that having a work plan that details smaller aspects of the project, with set deadlines and deliverables makes all the difference. Following a work plan keeps you on track and allows you to think through your assignment/project before you begin.It is also a helpful tool for showing your progress to management.

Get up and take a short walk or break and the moment you notice your mind wandering. Take a daily meditation pratice first thing when you get up or last thing (or both).

Keep your blood sugar up, but avoid the foods that give you a sugar rush like donuts and sweets. Take some bite-sized shredded wheat (no sugar coating! ) to munch on or grapes.

Take a few "mind breaks" periodically during the day. Daydream, look at a picture of a loved one, look at your plant.. Then get back to work a bit refreshed and a bit more relaxed.

If there is a problem to your work, meet your senior immediately to resolve it.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.