Is your day just one big interruption?

Cost of interruptions

Analyze Current Interruptions

Self-interruptions

Interruptions from others

Develop plan to eliminate, delegate or consolidate interruptions

• Develop written procedures and answers to frequently asked questions.
• Put out fires permanently by addressing the cause rather than the symptom.
• Start a list for each team member for non-urgent items. Schedule one discussion time rather than several interruptions. Remember, it’s not just your time you’ll save; it’s the other person’s time, too. If everyone in the organization practices this one idea, the cumulative savings in time (and money) will be huge!
• Reposition yourself to decrease eye contact with others passing by.
• Establish a calm space to work on projects. If you have an office door, close it all or part way. Send your phone to voice mail. Advise others ahead of time so they can plan accordingly.
• Set your priorities for the day first — before looking at e-mail.
• Turn off the new e-mail indicator; schedule specific times to handle e-mail with the goal of doing, delegating, dumping or filing it the first time its read.
• Keep commitments and be proactive with communication so you won’t have to be reactive.