Productivity can be a challenging thing to measure and maintain, especially in a world full of distractions. Sometimes the distractions come from the nature of the work itself, and understanding this can become the key to overcoming them. Here are five tips you can use to overcome any workplace distractions and become more productive in the workplace.

Plan Your Route

Planning ahead can make your next workday much easier, and it doesn’t involve spending some time at home preparing for the morning after. We recommend that you take some time at the end of each workday to plan the next; you might find that you’re less likely to get distracted by the countless possibilities of the workday if you do so, and you will be more focused on the task at hand.

Put Your Phone Away

Sometimes notifications can distract you from getting work done–especially if these notifications are work-related. Sometimes the best course of action is to either silence your notifications or put your phone away so you can focus on whatever you happen to be working on at that time. More often than not, push notifications are not going to be urgent, so we recommend either limiting the notifications that pop up on your phone during work hours or just turning them off altogether. After all, if something is truly urgent, you can expect to be contacted in a different way than a text message or an email, right?

Don’t Overpromise

A deadline can make all the difference in productivity (depending on the individual), but there are often cases where people might overpromise on something they can’t simply deliver on. Even if these deadlines can be met, the work involved might suffer, so it’s best to give yourself some leeway so that these types of problems don’t surface in the first place.

Set Smaller Goals

Small goals are not just easier to accomplish; they also provide you with the appropriate forward momentum to stay positive about work throughout the day. Large tasks can be broken up into smaller chunks to make them less intimidating and more manageable, too.

Reward Yourself

If you can make work satisfying for yourself, then you can make it more productive. One way you can do this is by giving yourself rewards for accomplishing tasks, like a short break or something sweet to eat. If you want to be both satisfied and productive, taking a step back when necessary to appreciate yourself and the hard work you invest can be helpful.

What are some tips you have to stay productive in the workplace? Be sure to share them with us in the comments.