How do you avoid or conquer distractions to maintain focus on completing the important projects?

This is really a big issue. Thank you for raising this question. It is such a challenge to all of us!
One solution is to devote a “Block of Time” to a single task. Don’t allow yourself the luxury of multi-tasking for once in your life. Chose a few significant tasks or responsibilities and DO NOT HAVE COFFEE while you are doing it. Don’t listen to music. Turn you phone off, and lock the door. Sometimes it is necessary to “fast” from legitimate involvements to focus attention on something that is vital. It doesn’t have to be for a whole day – maybe just 45 minutes. You will be amazed at what you will accomplish.

While that “block” can be as little as 15 minutes devoted to playing catch with your 11-year old, it can also be for a couple of weeks to finish an important book. Create a “Block of Time” by going to a secluded cabin in the woods. If there is an emergency (someone is dying) tell one person where you are so they can contact you. But even accomplishing something like rest must have a “Block of Time” – as Jesus said, “Come apart by yourselves, and rest a while.”

So, a “block of time” per single task – this has given me my most efficient moments.

Another technique is to group similar small tasks together. Deal with email all at the same time. Don’t be reacting to every notification that “you’ve got mail.” Unless you have an organizational policy that you are to respond immediately to in-house emails while at your desk, there is usually no need to run to answer an email like we used to run to answer a phone. Do similar tasks (especially smaller repetitive tasks) all at the same time in a batch – like paying bills, or reading a group of evaluations.

But then how about we become open to the possibility of cutting the umbilical cord that attaches us to our electronic devices. How about a walk after lunch with a journal and NO PHONE to sit in a park at a picnic table and spend some time “ordering our thoughts”?

And maybe, just maybe we should withdraw from some of Social Media groups that clamor for our attention, or even some of those breakfast men’s meeting that often go no where fast – maybe they can do without our words of wisdom. Just because “there’s something wrong on the internet,” it doesn’t mean that you need to be the one to “fix it.” Some guy in another state can take care of it for once!