Focused time is vital for leaders because it allows them to concentrate on strategic thinking, planning, and decision-making. However, interruptions from well-intentioned team members can become a significant challenge, particularly when trying to focus on a complex task. This blog post looks at strategies to protect your time from interruptions while helping your team proactively.
Empower Team Members to Solve Their Own Problems
Firstly, empower your team members to problem-solve and troubleshoot themselves. Teach them where they have the power to make decisions and where it's acceptable to make judgment calls and mistakes. Clearly communicate their main priorities so they can use these as a guide when making decisions. Ask them to document their attempted solutions to problems before bringing the problem to you. During 1:1s, mentor them on problem-solving, encouraging them to explore solutions rather than always providing immediate answers.
Use Time Blocking To Let Others Know You Are Not to be Interrupted
Secondly, manage your schedule proactively. Block out times in your calendar for deep, focused work, and set expectations: explain to your team why these periods are necessary and tell them not to interrupt unless it is a true emergency. (Also, ensure they understand what constitutes a genuine emergency that warrants an interruption). In addition, consider setting designated times when you're available to help team members resolve issues. You can ask that they batch their questions and bring them up during these designated times rather than interrupting each time a new question arises.
Enforce Boundaries
Lastly, firmly but kindly uphold your boundaries around focused time. If you get interrupted, you might say, "I'm in the middle of focus time. I'll be available in 30 minutes and swing by your desk to sign that paperwork." Do not allow interruptions for non-emergency problems, even if it seems like a small request. Upholding your boundaries will teach your team to respect your dedicated focus time and benefit everyone more in the long run.
By empowering your team members to problem solve, effectively managing your schedule, and setting clear boundaries, you can significantly reduce unnecessary interruptions and increase your productivity at work.
Chew on This: What are some of the most common reasons people interrupt you at work? What is one step you can take today to reduce interruptions?