Schedule Time for Interruption

One of the most challenging situations people face when planning their day is how to stick to their schedule when they are constantly being interrupted. Just when your activities are organized, someone else's emergency seems to get in the way. A client has a crisis, co-workers are in a jam, your boss is breathing down your neck, a friend calls, or any of the dozens of other interruptions you face on any given day.

The solution is extremely simple and equally powerful ~ Schedule Time for Interruption. That's right, just as you would schedule a meeting with a customer or event with your boss, scheduling a specific time in your day for interruptions is a technique that our students nationwide continually tell us is one of the most powerful time management tips they have ever used.

How does this work? There are two components. First, as you are planning your day or week, allot a certain amount of time for the sole purpose of dealing with 'other people's emergencies.' What normally happens when someone calls or comes running into your office with something that they need your immediate help with? You drop whatever you are in the middle of and rush to their attention. Not only is their issue something that may not be of any importance to you, but I recently heard that it takes most people around 20 minutes to return to the level of focus they had before being interrupted. Wonder where those 'lost hours' go each day? Rebounding from all your interruptions!

But we do not want to tell our clients, managers, and co-workers that we aren't there for them. Now you can have the best of both. You have a specific time predetermined in your day that you are available for 'scheduled interruptions.' Instead to denying the requests of others, you can simply plan a time that you will be able to help them.

The second component is to stick to your schedule and communicate to others when you are available for them and when you are not. If this seems unrealistic or impractical, that is because you have never tried it! In the long run, your boss with be impressed that you are getting more done, you will have more quality time to prevent most of your clients' crises, and your coworkers will learn that you are not at their beck and call.

A frequent question people ask is, "how much interruption time do I need to schedule and when should I schedule it?" That, of course, is going to vary from person to person, but as a general rule, I say as much as you need and when it is convenient for you. If you are the manager of a large group of people, you are going to have more people knocking on your door for help with their challenges than if you are just getting started with a company. Try out the amount you think will be adequate and you will quickly realize if it's the right amount for your needs. Most people find that right before or after lunch makes sense, as that is an easy breaking time in the middle of the day.

Eric Plantenberg, President of Freedom Speakers and Trainers, currently trains professionals across the country in memory, goal setting, attitude, time management, and effective communications. His newest program, P.A.C.T., is an intensive one-on-one twelve week personal coaching program designed for those who are serious about their success. Please click here for more information on Eric http://www.deliverfreedom.com/speakers_eric. html or Freedom Speakers and Trainers http://www.deliverfreedom.com Call 888-233-0407 x112 email eric@deliverfreedom.com

---

Being Busy Does Not Equal Being Productive

How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More

Creative Leadership; Inspirational Power ( Part 2 )

Time management is absolute crucial nowadays where business decisions have... Read More

10 Tips on the Right Time of Day for Your Personal Best

Does choosing which time we do an activity really make... Read More

Find The Time -- Before Its Too Late!

People always seem to be in such a hurry, everywhere... Read More

Discover Your Procrastination Personality

Determine Your Procrastination PersonalityBrook Noel is the author of The... Read More

Mercury Retrograde and Time Management

The concept of Mercury Retrograde is very well known even... Read More

Reading -- 10 Ways to Find The Time

Why Read?It's been said that there are three kinds of... Read More

Dont Forget To Take Time Out For You!

As mothers we play so many different roles and most... Read More

5 Result-Getting Time Management Tips

How often have you tried to manage your time in... Read More

Procrastination - Understanding & Overcoming it

Whenever I've worked on 'de-cluttering' my living or working space,... Read More

Quick Tips On Time Management

Want to improve your time management?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More

Time Management Tips for Busy Moms

If you are like most moms I know you think... Read More

Self Improvement and Prioritising

The ability to be able to set priorities and deal... Read More

Taking Time Out to Play - Summertime and the Living is Easy

As the song goes, this is the time to relax,... Read More

The Myth of What We Manage

Perhaps it is merely semantics, but an underlying problem I... Read More

How Do You Start Your Day

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, snow... Read More

21 Questions To Assess Your Readiness For Time Management

How many of us are guilty of "Putting the cart... Read More

Managing Time to Accomplish More

Time is inelastic. Despite what some of us persist in... Read More

Where Do Your Priorities Fit?

An expert in time management was speaking to a group... Read More

Let Someone Else Do It

When you decide to become self-employed, you automatically become the... Read More

How Would You Like to Capture Some Time?

Women's health issues often are focused on goals to reach:... Read More

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last... Read More

The Keepers of Time

I give presentations on organizational skill building as it relates... Read More

9 Proven Principles for Increasing Productivity, Profit and Peace of Mind

Do you feel guilty about all the publications you purchase... Read More

Priorities: Dont Dry Your Dishes

Do your dishes really need to be dried, or could... Read More

Time Management

Isn't it amazing that some people can produce huge results... Read More

Time Management: How to Make Your Meetings More Productive

In most organizations, meetings are often the biggest time-wasters. With... Read More

Beyond Time Management ? Seven Ways to Leverage Your Time for Greater Results

Most of us have a to-do list ? some of... Read More

7 Reasons to Take Breaks at Work

My job in Chicago began with three months of probation.I... Read More

Time Management Doesnt Exist! So What Can You Do?

There is no such thing as time management. You cannot... Read More

Save Yourself Hours of Time in One Easy Step

If you have spent any time at all working at... Read More

Boost Your Productivity with Sixty Minutes A Day

How you spend the first sixty minutes of your day... Read More

Nurturing Your Soul

Number Yourself: Count yourself as an important individual. You are... Read More