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With the fog of Facebook, YouTube and e-mails that seem to regularly pop up on computer screens, it’s a wonder anyone ever gets any actual work done these days.

Try as one might to concentrate, the Internet generally means that distractions — social networks, news updates, or e-mails from friends — are but a click away for most workers.

The good news for procrastinators and the easily distracted is that there are tools out there that will block distractions like Facebook and YouTube and even stop e-mail alerts. The bad news is that you’ll still need loads of willpower to make such systems really work.

Evolution can be thanked for the fact that humans are so easily distracted. If something moves nearby, our attention is automatically directed toward it. Psychologists call this an orientation reaction.

Once, it was necessary for survival. After all, the flash of movement could easily be a hungry sabertooth tiger.

The instinct remains, even though offices are rarely the site of life-or-death situations. That means humans are routinely overloaded with input in today’s fast-paced workplace, says Andreas Zimber of the SRH University Heidelberg in Germany.

It doesn’t help that the ever-present e-mails seem to demand immediate answers.

“Because the medium is so fast, everyone expects that answers will come quickly,” said Zimber, a professor of business psychology. That leads to two problems.

First, says Zimber, people lack the focus to concentrate on important tasks. That focus is needed to work efficiently, and with less effort.

“Based on surveys, we know that interruptions at work are one of the main sources of disruption,” he says.

The distractions also cater to procrastinators, providing a welcome excuse to shove unpleasant tasks further down on the to-do list. “That’s when the hedonistic principle kicks in: I’ll pick the more pleasant task,” Zimber says.

So what’s to be done? Zimber advises a system of compartmentalization. If possible, lay down fixed office and visiting hours.

When it comes time to do important work, shut your e-mail inbox and make sure everyone knows you’re entering a period of enforced isolation. That could shut down the problem of three or four avenues of information coming in simultaneously. “Colleagues will usually understand,” Zimber says.

Some word processing programs even help enforce this practice.

For example, Focus Writer covers up all open windows and only shows the basic text upon which you’re working. Toolbars and other extras only appear when you pull the mouse to the edge of the screen.

For those who need extra motivation, the program allows them to set a writing goal — a set amount of time or a specific number of words. The free program runs on Windows, Max OS X and Linux.

But the distractions are always out there, especially if you just have to quickly check something online … and then find yourself stuck on Facebook. Two browser extensions promise to stop aimless surfing.

Stay Focused allows Chrome users to set a specific amount of time they are allowed to stay online. Users set their own list of no-go Web sites. Many choose to block time-killers, like video portals, games or social networks, while leaving accessible useful sites like dictionaries or Wikipedia.

Leech Block performs a similar function for browsers Firefox and Explorer. Users get an icon reminding them a site is forbidden if they try to wander into no-go territory. The free URL blocker works independently of the browser.

Still, none of these systems erases the need for discipline. Committed time wasters can also just switch to non-blocked browsers or restart their computer to fool the efficiency programs.

Procrastinators need to be honest about listing the time-killer Web sites to be blocked, ideally just as they’re experiencing some regret about recent dalliances.

Recognizing the problem is the first step towards improvement. That’s why programs like RescueTime measure how much time is used for different activities.

The free version of the software, which runs on Windows and Mac, documents which programs and Web sites are visited on a computer. A fee-based version goes further, listing how much time is spent on individual documents.

Both versions can provide eye-openers. As an added feature, the program allows a Focus Time function, which blocks certain activities for set periods.

Freelancers who work at home can do themselves a favor by having separate computers for work and leisure, no real problem with today’s hardware prices. That’s another way to take control of the information flood.

Another key is making sure that the tools to fight distraction don’t become distractions themselves. “Technical aids are only useful when they don’t create extra work,” Zimber says. “Technical solutions don’t erase the problem of lacking self-discipline.” 

DPA