Disruption is a chronic problem. Endless construction on roads, subways, and buses that breakdown and bad drivers that make you swerve to avoid being hit. Working in an office or at home is very similar. You are always looking to find peace and quiet, but it is a tough search. Over 50% of workers state that they lost more than an hour a day because of constant disruptions. Take back your day!
The very first thing you must do is decide. Go grab a coffee at the local shop and take a notebook with you. As you enjoy your brew, go through your day, hour by hour in your mind. Make notes of when you realize that you are being disturbed by others, social media, and anything else that you can think of. Now beside each one of the reasons that you came up with, write down a permanent solution. For example, are you disrupted by something you do, like constantly pulling out your cellphone? If the answer is yes, ask yourself if you truly need that cellphone at your desk? When you are addicted to social media, it is up to you to cure yourself. Go cold turkey now and lock that cellphone up in the glove compartment of your car.
Headphones are no longer just for listening to music. Many companies and work at home folks are switching to wearing headphones. They signal that you are focusing on a task and should not be disturbed unless a meteorite is going to strike any moment.
Headphones can block out disruptive people and noise. You can wear noise reducers or wear a pair with music/sounds that help you focus on your tasks.
Many disruptions come from being online.
You are constantly being bombarded with emails, pop-ups, and the like. A very simple way to avoid this disruption is to disconnect from the internet and work offline. When you are working on projects that do not require internet, shut it down or move to a separate computer that does not have internet capability. A lot of people who write for 3 or more hours per day, simply use a separate computer as a word processor. You can sit in a quiet spot at the beach if you wish and type away distraction-free.
If you work in a busy office atmosphere, look to see if you can hold different hours than most of your co-workers. Can you start two hours before anyone else comes in? How about starting later in the day and when everyone disappears at five p.m. and you have the whole office to yourself?
Working at home has more possibilities. While not everyone can do this…some people are night owls. They prefer to work from after supper to late in the morning like 3 or 4 a.m. Some even start at midnight. It really is a case of what your body prefers and can handle.
Working at home sounds like a dream. But some people are unable to make it work for them. They feel isolated from society or they cannot control the actions of family or room mates. If you are unable to work without constant interruptions and everything you have tried, doesn’t seem to work…try something else.
Look for a more affordable office space. There are many companies that offer rented small offices in a large office space. In those offices, you will get a small office with a door and no phone to bother you. There will be a receptionist at the front, to hold any possible visitors you may have.