Finding Focus Amidst Constant Interruptions
Today’s schedule is packed (again). You’re exhausted just looking at the many meetings on your calendar. Clearly another cup of coffee is necessary to survive the morning. As you are heading to the coffee pot, Alec pops over with a “quick question.” Before you know it, your 5-minute chat turns into a 20-minute TED Talk about his weekend barbecue. After sloshing coffee into a cup, there is just enough time to craft talking points for your first meeting. You no sooner close your office door to ward off other interruptions (open door policies are highly overrated, after all) when Percy calls you on Teams. He wants to vent about an ongoing situation with a vendor. You think to yourself “Seriously, is there nowhere to hide?” when Kai pings you. She’s convinced her latest spreadsheet is haunted, and you agree to look at it later that morning. By the time you’ve exorcised the Excel demons, it's lunchtime, and the cycle starts all over again. As the day stretches into evening, your to-do list remains untouched, and your sanity? Well, that's somewhere between your third cup of coffee and your sixth interruption. With the right words, you can skillfully carve out healthy and respectful boundaries around your space and time – turning interruptions into intermissions.
Sometimes, it seems easier to just grin and bear it, hoping the interruptions will pass; but silence in the face of constant disruptions only encourages more of the same. Your team? They think you're always available because, well, you always are. They love that about you, but can your work and personal life sustain this exhausting and unproductive practice? The longer you stay mum, the more your stress levels rise—along with your coffee consumption. Your sanity will thank you for speaking up.
On the flip side, snapping at your colleagues with a “Can’t you see I’m busy?” or “I don’t have time for this right now!” isn’t a cure-all. That stated, it is a surefire way to strain relationships. Reacting with irritation not only creates a tense atmosphere but also discourages your team from approaching you with important matters in the future. Sure, you’ve established a boundary, but at what cost? Your team now sees you as unapproachable, and that open communication you once boasted of takes a downward detour
Expecting every conversation to fit neatly into your calendar is like expecting rush hour traffic to obey your personal schedule - delightful fantasy, but utterly unrealistic. And believing that your team will save every burning question for scheduled check-ins? Wishful thinking, but fear not, time wrangler! There’s no voicemail option for drop-ins, but there are ways to set boundaries around your precious minutes without coming across as the office grouch.
In the moment magic:
“I’m knee-deep in something important right now. Can we pencil in a chat for later when I can give you my full, undivided, caffeinated attention?"
“I only have 5 minutes right now, so let’s focus on the most critical points.”
“I have just a couple minutes now, or I can give you15 minutes this afternoon. Which option works for you?”
“You caught me mid-thought! I can offer you a quick chat now or a more substantial response later.” (Hint: this works well for instant messaging.)
Proactive Prowess:
“Team, I’ve noticed I’m getting a lot of impromptu visits throughout the day, which impacts my ability to focus. While I adore regularly seeing your faces, can you group your needs and hit me up at once or schedule a quick check-in so I can be fully present during our discussions.”
“I’m implementing ‘focus hours’ from 1 PM to 3 PM where I won’t be available for drop-ins. Please feel free to schedule time with me outside these hours for any discussions.”
“Before stopping by, please consider if it’s something that can be addressed via email or if it can wait until our next scheduled meeting. This will help me manage my time better and be more effective in supporting you.”
Remember, you exchange your time for a paycheck. You are expected to manage that time with care and precision. Too many of us think of Outlook as our all-knowing time manager. My Friends, Outlook does not have that level of intelligence (yet.) That is on you. Your challenge this week is to reflect on how you’ve spent your time over the past one month. Did you build in think time or block time to work on critical deliverable? If not, it’s time to be proactive and teach your colleagues how to honor the time you’ve blocked.
As always, a little gratitude goes a long way: “Thanks for understanding my need for focused work time. This allows me to be more efficient and ultimately more helpful to you and the team.” By setting these boundaries, with a dash of humor and a sprinkle of understanding, you'll be well on your way to mastering the art of self-management. And who knows? You might even find time for that elusive lunch break. Imagine that!
[Re a study on the cost of interrupted work] “We found about 82% of all interrupted work is resumed on the same day. But here’s the bad news — it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task.”
Gloria Mark, professor, Dept of Informatics - UCI; co-author: The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress
“To produce at your peak level you need to work for extended periods with full concentration on a single task free from distraction. Put another way, the type of work that optimizes your performance is deep work.”
Cal Newport, author, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
“Try using a signaling mechanism to let your team know that you’re in the zone (or trying to get there) and that they shouldn’t disturb you unless it’s legitimately urgent. This could be as simple as a pair of headphones.”
Steve Glaveski, author, Time Rich: Do Your Best Work, Live Your Best Life
Don’t stop now! Learn more from a few of our personal fav resources below:
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