Do you find that you get easily distracted when trying to complete a task?  You are not alone.  One main reason people tend to get off track when trying to complete a task is because they are treating it just as that… a task.  When we do not find importance or urgency in a task, we tend to get distracted with doing other, more interesting things, (like watching YouTube videos). Everyone has to do things we don’t find desirable or interesting.  Regardless of how we feel about certain projects we still need to find a way to be productive. 

The first step to productively using your time is to clarify what your goal is for the day, hour, or project.  If your goal is to complete a project, how many hours will you plan to work on it?  When you are deciding this, be realistic.  Will you lose interest after 2 hours?  If so, plan to take a break and do something different for a little while.  This could be a short walk, lunch, or working on a separate task. When you come back to the project, you will have more energy. 

Second, make a list.  Having a list of tasks to complete will keep you on track.  Go even further by splitting your list into urgent and important tasks.  Everything you need to get done will be important, but some will be urgent.  If you determine what those tasks are, you will be sure to get them done first.  Crossing completed tasks off your list will allow you to see your progress and help you feel like you are getting closer to completing your goal.  

It’s easy to get lost in the piles of “to do’s” we have for work, home, and family.  Keeping a running list can help you stay focused on what you are doing but also allow you to move right to the next thing after you have completed each task.