Interruptions at work are like little landmines scattered throughout your day. You hit one of these interruptions, are thrown fifty meters into the air, fly off in whatever direction the wind is blowing, and then have to make your way back through dense scrubland to your original path. What a soldier! Most of us make this trip at least ten times a day, depending on the culture and size of our office. Dr Gloria Marks, of the University of California Irvine, says that it usually takes between 6 and 20 minutes to recover focus after an interruption. Yowsa!

Learn how to disarm these insidious interruptions

However, managing interruptions isn’t as easy as it sounds. You do need to preserve some goodwill in your office, and telling people to ‘Go away! I’m busy!’ won’t exactly do that. Here’s how to be proactive about managing interruptions, and avoid the feel-bad factor of telling someone that you can’t help them right now.

1. Staff/Colleague/Boss interruptions – These can be the trickiest of all interruptions to manage – it is much more difficult to say ‘no’ to somebody’s face, than to simply leave their email until later. Be proactive about making interruption-free times. Let your colleagues know in advance the times that you’ll be concentrating on work. For example, you might choose not to answer emails or the phone from 10am til 12pm. Let everyone in the office know that you’ll be concentrating during that time.For workmates and bosses, help them understand the reason that you can’t talk right now. You all have common goals of getting projects finished, keeping customers happy, etc. If you can explain how you are working towards their goals also, they will be happier to leave you alone.
2. Use internet time-trackers to monitor, and control, how much time you spend being ‘interrupted’ by all the ‘shiny objects’ on the internet. You can block certain sites and categories of sites using programs like LeechBlock and RescueTime.
3. Email and telephone interruptions are the most common, and thanks to the wonders of technology (what would we do without electric toothbrushes?), the easiest to deal with. Turn off your incoming mail alert, and use voicemail to answer your phone at certain periods of the day. Create set times to return emails and calls, and you’ll be more productive at work.
4. Mental interruptions are some of the most insidious – possibly because they are the easiest to rationalize as ‘necessary’. Mental interruptions include breaks in your concentration because you either have a new idea, or start thinking about another project you are working on. The solution to both of these types of interruption is simple – write yourself a note to do it later, and return your attention to the task at hand. Learning to crack the mental whip is not easy … being the drill sergeant as well as the soldier can be a little confusing! Just reassure yourself that all it takes is practice.
   

   You have to be your own drill sergeant - show me your war face!

5. Scheduling your important tasks to be completed during your peak productivity hours is another way to help eliminate mental interruptions. Are you a night owl or early birdy? Schedule your tasks during the work day to better coincide with your preferences.

I don’t know about you, but I feel much better at the end of the day if I’ve managed to focus, and achieve things throughout the day … instead of having eight hours of sidetracking after sidetracking. Hopefully these tips will help you go home with a little more spring in your step, also!