by Suzanne Rose

Created on: July 15, 2010   Last Updated: February 26, 2011

When you see that little mail icon on your computer, it can be difficult to avoid checking your e-mail.  Likewise, it can be a challenge to avoid surfing the net with it right there seemingly beckoning to you.  For many people who work at a computer, online temptations prove far too attractive.  The following tips can help you avoid online distractions while working.

Turn off your e-mail program

Unless you need your e-mail for work, you may want to turn off the entire program while you are trying to get some work done.  A lot of people are in the habit of checking their e-mail every time a new message comes in.  If you are curious about the message you may open and read the e-mail.  This may then lead to a different activity and now you have interrupted your work quite a bit.

Even if you do not open the e-mail it can still be a temptation.  Just seeing that little mail icon there can be distracting to some people.  Also, a lot of people have their computer set up so that it makes a noise or does something every time a message comes in.  Therefore nixing the entire program for the time you are working may seem like the best option.  If you can't do this, you may ask that personal emails go to a different account or not come during business hours. 

Do not keep a browser open

You will also want to avoid having a browser open while you are working. You do not want to make it easy to just jump on that to look around the Internet.  In fact you may even want to remove the shortcut from your desktop so that it is at least a little harder to start up the browser.

Try to take care of any pressing internet business before you start working

Make certain times to look at the Internet while you are not supposed to be working.  For instance, if you always like to look at the headlines, then try to do it before you work.  If you need to buy something, then do it during a break.  If you do that, then you will be less likely to be thinking about it constantly.  You can focus on your work instead. 

Online distractions can cause a significant drop in productivity and should be avoided if at all possible.  The above tips may help you achieve this.

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