The Time Management Training Institute

It is the week your big project is due on the boss’s desk. You have finished your research and all you have to do now is synthesize everything into one compelling, comprehensive presentation document. There is a lot riding on this, so you have blocked out several hours everyday to work on this. You know you have allowed yourself plenty of time, so when you arrive at work on Monday, you are feeling very confident you will finish in plenty of time.

But then the interruptions start. A co-worker drops in to ask a question and stays for 15 minutes. A phone call from a client sends you on a wild goose chase and you lose a whole hour. As the day goes on the interruptions mount, and by the time you head home, you panic a little bit when you realize that you only got about half as much done today as you expected to. Now you are behind. What can you do tomorrow to prevent a repeat of today? Here are a few helpful tips:

First of all, try to preempt interruptions.

Sometimes all you need to do is close the door to your office, if you have one. If you normally work in a shared space or a cube, inform those around you that you do not want to be disturbed for awhile. If possible, turn your desk so that you have your back to traffic areas to avoid making eye contact and inviting distracting interruptions. Maybe you could relocate to a vacant conference room and gain a little privacy. In extreme situations, see if you can work from home. Remember, you don’t have to allow interruptions. It is always acceptable to politely explain that you are facing an important deadline and ask to postpone the conversation to a later date. If you are fortunate to have an administrative assistant, inform that person of times when you will not be available to take calls or visits, and ask them to protect your time.

When you can’t prevent the interruption, handle it head on.

If someone asks to speak with you "for just a few minutes," tell them you are not available at the moment and reschedule for later in the day. Of course, they may counter by saying it is "Urgent." When this happens, specify exactly how long you can give them, and when that time is up, get up, usher them to the door and tell them you will get back to them later if they need additional assistance. Keep the conversation on point by asking them to skip unnecessary details and explain exactly what it is they need from you. Ask them to summarize, and you will request specific details if you think you need them.

Make unwanted visitors as uncomfortable as possible.

This is not to say you should be intentionally rude or disrespectful. However, you also don’t want people to be able to "camp" in your office or workspace if you have other important tasks to complete. You can still be polite without laying out the welcome mat. For instance, when someone unexpectedly comes into your office, stand up to greet them and don’t sit back down. This will make it much less likely that they will sit down, and send the clear message that you don’t have much time to give them. As you speak with them, walk toward the door to indicate that you are ending the visit. When you know you can’t afford to have visitors, try piling folders, books or other large items on the chairs or sofas in your office so that there are no convenient places for people to sit. If all else fails, announce that you have to make an important call or attend to another important duty in exactly X minutes. When the time is expired, excuse yourself, pick up the phone (or leave the office altogether), and promise to continue the conversation at a later date.