With so many distractions surrounding us, it can be hard to stay focused at work. But by practicing a few techniques, focus can become a habit. Here’s how to get started.

1. Get enough sleep. You’ll be more alert if you’re not tired. Aim for seven or eight hours of sleep a night.
2. Schedule your workload around your optimal times. If you’re a morning person, for instance, tackle your most significant and difficult tasks in the morning.
3. Try “productive procrastination.” Whatever small tasks you use as an excuse to distract you, get them out of the way first. You might, say, grab a cup of coffee and print out resources you need before sitting down to focus on a project.
4. Put away your phone. Turn off your phone, silence it, or put it in a drawer or another room so you can have uninterrupted time to work. If you’re heading into a meeting where your phone is not needed, leave it behind—your coworkers will appreciate your undivided attention.
5. Get organized with a to-do list and calendar. To-do lists and calendars allow you to set priorities, keep track of deadlines, and plan out projects. Start each day by checking and updating your calendar and writing a fresh to-do list, and you’ll feel ready to get to work.
6. Take a break. Working long periods of time without breaks can make you less productive and focused. Ideally, you want a break that gets you moving, so go for a short walk, find a coworker to chat with, or refill your water bottle.
7. Ditch multi-tasking. When we leave a task unfinished, our brains have difficulty letting go of it, so it lingers in the back of our minds. That means your brain has fewer resources for the new task. The more you can eliminate disruptions to the work at hand, the better your focus will be.

For more advice, read “13 Tricks to Help You Focus at Work.”