JOBFinder: It Pays to Pay Attention

Distracted? Some times it's hard to stay focused on your job search

Don't be ashamed, we all do it. It's easy to get distracted when you're looking for a job. But whether it's just checking your fantasy sports scores or reading up on the latest Britney gossip, job seekers should beware of taking too many - or too little - breaks.

"Some people actually benefit from having a short distraction, it's a brief mental vacation," explains Maryann Karinch, author of "Get People to Do What You Want: How to Use Body Language and Words to Attract People You Like and Avoid the Ones You Don't" (Career Press, $15.99). "For those people who do, they should have a list of items in front of them that they need to complete. Complete an item, and you get a 'reward' of two or three minutes playing a game or browsing a non-work Web site."

If you're easily sidetracked, this may be a useful method. However, be sure to comply with your three-minute time limit, says Karinch. Some experts believe there's more to becoming preoccupied with non-work things than just a wandering mind. Boredom is often the culprit.

"People get distracted because they procrastinate," says Drew Stevens, a productivity expert and author of "Pump Up Your Productivity" (Golda Publishing, $14.95). "The easiest way to remain focused [is to] prioritize the day and get the items that you hate to conduct done first to end the day on a crescendo."

• 87 percent: The number of individuals that believe their main focus will take longer than it actually does.
• 6: The number of times longer workers take procrastinating than doing their work.
• 60 percent: The amount of people who bore easily at work from doing mundane jobs and need a break.