How Transformational Leaders Deal with Distraction

There’s no such thing as a distraction-free workspace. I don’t care if you’re in your office, at home, or in a favorite coffee shop. Your mind can still wander. The beeps and alerts from your phone and laptop can draw you away from the task at hand. It happens to the best of us.

Being a transformational leader-a solutions-oriented leader-means having the right tools to deal with those distractions. Let me offer just a few suggestions.

Start with the Cell Phone

The most ever-present source of distraction is your cell phone, always there to tempt you with emails, social media, and more. To address this distraction, I recommend a couple of options:

• When you’re trying to get real, creative work done, put your device into Do Not Disturb mode, then set it aside. You’ll be okay going a few minutes without text and email!
• Schedule blocks of time throughout the day to check email, post on LinkedIn, etc. Having specified times for these activities can curb your distraction during other parts of the day.

What About Email?