It is impossible to not get distracted … however you can take some deliberate control of this.

I found my brain tries to take more ‘deliberate’ breaks when working at home. I speculate this is because there is none of the low-level distraction you get in an office, where people are moving around and things are happening. Home is quiet and still, and while this reduces ‘significant’ distraction, it’s hard to keep your mind occupied in an entirely static environment.

As such homeworkers might be tempted to introduce some minor distractions, and without carefully consideration this can lead down the path of using ‘background entertainment’. Using media to fill this gap is possible – music or radio is rarely fully distracting – however vision-intensive activities like monitoring social media and watching video/TV clearly are. I also use the following two tips to help:

Non-work Distractions. These satisfy the mind but you know are ‘safe’ to do – i.e. short and low impact. Examples are hanging out the washing, emptying the dishwasher, vacuuming, or even walking the dog at lunch. Done in moderation, everyone can benefit.

Varied To-Do. I also use a mix of activity types on my To-Do list to satisfy my brain wandering. Ideally every day has a little research, communication, administration, creative work, and some content generation. Clearly depends on your job, but variety is the spice of life!