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handling interruptions
cassienyc | Aug 22 2006
one thing that has seemed to impede my progress with GTD is interruptions - phone calls, people dropping by, or even getting caught by coworkers on the way back from the bathroom, etc. some of the time i am able to simply turn off my phone or shut my office door, but other times it is unavoidable. so, for example, i'll set aside a hour for work, and then smack in the middle of that time someone will come bother me for 10-15 minutes or so, and then i'll find i only have 15 minutes left which is usually not enough time for me to finish what i need to have finished. it's maddening, and the end result is that i end up tacking on an hour or two to my work day just to be able to get my work done. anyone have any advice? how do *you* deal with interruptions? 4 Comments
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 I'm in the middle of...Submitted by randellt on August 22, 2006 - 7:27pm.
I'm in the middle of a sea of cubicles as well and our culture is that people tend to walk right up and start talking. Even when I have my telephone headset (which has two ear pieces to cut down on background noise) people come over and start talking. When I am on the phone I put up a sign that reads, "THINK. I am on the phone." and people get the hint. I made it on a real nifty site that generates OSHA-type warning signs (http://www.stclaire.com/go/industrial_signage/sb2/html). It adds some humor so people don't feel blown off. Try making some signs and see what happens. Suggestions are - Busy until ____ AM/PM For those with offices and doors I have seen the suggestion of putting up a sign that reads, "Busy. Available at ___ AM/PM", and closing the door. You could also try having your desk face away from the door so people cannot easily catch your eye and guilt you into letting them in. Depending on your office culture that may or may not work. Most of the time I simply ask the person if we can schedule some time later in the day or week if it is looking like more than a 5 minute interruption and that works. Getting back to GTD after an interruption can be tough. If you are in the middle of a quick task (i.e. composing a quick e-mail or making some notes) try giving a quick look and the "just a minute" signal as you finish off your task. They are interrupting so they don't really have the right to get annoyed at that. If you are on a longer task or in the middle of deep thought, keep paper and pen handy or a blank text doc at the ready and jot down a quick note of where you "were" while giving the same "just a minute" signal. The note should be enough of cue to get you back on track. If you have a laptop, try going to another floor or an empty conference room to get some quiet time. If people *really* want you they will find you somehow but not seeing you should deter most unimportant interrupts. Getting yanked out of your flow state definitely sucks. I think it is simply part of our knowledge worker environment and another transgression of good etiquette. Nicely pushing back or making it clear you are in the zone is something to try. Otherwise, get in early, stay late or both and do your concentration work then if you can and assume you'll be interrupted most of the day. » POSTED IN:
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