Win the War Against Interruptions

During crunch time, it’s not unusual to be working on multiple computer documents, have a ton of unread e-mails, hear two phone lines ringing and have several people waiting to see you.

Interruptions, such as phone calls, incoming e-mails and people dropping in can make it sometimes hard to get anything done, but you don’t have to let the unexpected disrupt your day.

Many workers claim technology, such as e-mail and cell phones, has made things seen even more urgent, but “good old fashioned prioritizing methods” can keep you from getting flustered. The following tips can help you manage your interruptions on a daily basis.

Prioritize. Don’t get sidetracked by the less urgent tasks that pop up during your workday; schedule them for later. Plan your day and follow that schedule to ensure you accomplish everything you wanted to do.

Be polite. One of the best weapons to prevent interruptions from overwhelming you is to be frank and polite when asking someone to wait. When you call someone and don’t have much time, say, “I know you’re really busy so I’m not going to take up a lot of your time”. That allows you to be almost curt on the phone without sacrificing the relationship.

Silence socializers.  If a perennially distracting coworker drops by to chat, suggest meeting after work to finish the conversation or, better yet, ask if he has time to help you. If you have an empty chair in your office, get rid of it. When someone comes in, standup. If you need to talk to them, walk with them back to their office.

Turn your desk around. Place your desk at a 90 degree angle to your door or cubicle entrance so you can see people come in, but aren’t constantly distracted by people walking by.

Multi-task. When you can, bunch together smaller tasks that don’t require all your attention.

  Do it now. If your schedule allows, perform a task while the requesting party waits. You can reduce your chance of forgetting by keeping a person on the phone or at her desk until she completes the requested task. Continuing the conversation as you work serves two purposes—it lets them know that they are not being forgotten or left in the hold zone, but also shows any people standing in front of you that you are in the middle of something.