How to Un-Dilbert Your Life, Part 2
Do you know how much of your time is being whittled away by needless interruptions?
Use the Interruption Worksheet (PDF) to track for a week how much is lost. It will show you how much is not work-related, and how much is not important.
Start any day of the week, don’t change your actions, and jot down about how long each person interrupted you after they leave. See my week (PDF). Be discreet about using this sheet.
At the end of each day, tally the number of times you were interrupted and how much time it took. After the week add up the total. This is your starting point. Astonishing isn’t it?
In my experience you can see I had a particularly distracting Monday with 7 interruptions taking up nearly 1.5 hours. In the course of the week just 10 minutes of the interruptions were work-related and necessary. More than half the time was taken up by unnecessary work-related interruptions. The rest by things not even related to work. Drastically reducing this will help regain about half an hour a day.
Reduce Interruptions
Close the door if possible. Some people may not like that as it says “I’m busy”. They will get over it.
When someone asks if you have a minute, you could say “Yes, but only 1 minute”. That tells them you’re busy and they’ll (hopefully) make it quick. Expect it to take at least a couple of minutes. Or you could say “I’m in the middle of something. Email would be a lot easier.”
Another technique is to not be in your office.
Go to a conference room, preferably one with low usage and visibility. Bring your materials, papers, laptop (if needed), etc. Forward your phone if you wish (see Part 3 for screening phone calls).
Get People Out of Your Office
Here are some ways to hint you’re done “meeting”.
Stop talking, especially if it’s not project related.
Shuffle papers on your desk.
Look at the clock or your watch.
Lean forward in your chair, like you’re getting ready to stand.
Excuse yourself to go to a meeting or the restroom (this always works).
Keep practicing these methods and complete another worksheet in a month. Compare your results.