Expert Advice Tip Sheet -- Dealing With Interruptions -- OnlineOrganizing.com

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	Dealing With Interruptions

	By Ramona Creel

Feel free to use this tip sheet / checklist as you tackle your own ""do-it-yourself"" organizing projects. If you would like to REPRINT or DISTRIBUTE this information, please click here for reprinting instructions.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERRUPTIONS

many interruptions are avoidable with advance planning
someone else could help them but they don't know who to go to
you could handle the situation later or schedule a meeting time
asking questions because you haven't explained clearly enough
other "emergency" interruptions must be dealt with at that time
the better you plan ahead, the fewer "crises" will arise

EXTERNAL INTERRUPTIONS

other people interrupting you and breaking your train of thought
people dropping in or calling to talk
calls or emails that distract you from the task at hand
outside noise or commotion that keeps you from focusing

INTERNAL INTERRUPTIONS

times when you interrupt yourself
remembering something you were supposed to do
being distracted by piles of paper or disorganization
spending time on unimportant non-priority tasks
letting your mind wander away from the focus of your work

KEEPING TRACK OF INTERRUPTIONS

keep an interruption log
record times when your concentration is broken, whatever cause
note the time, reason, person interrupting, and how long it lasted
you will discover that there are patterns to your interruptions
you must recognize the cause to prevent interruptions

LEARNING TO CHANGE YOUR MINDSET

very few interruptions are both urgent and important
get out of the habit of dealing with items the minute they come in
it's more productive to schedule the item into your day later
stay focused on the task at hand until you complete it
the rest of the work will still be there when you finish

PROACTIVE PAYS OFF

set up guidelines for dealing with interruptions
who you are willing to interrupt work for and who will have to wait
stand up to greet people so you control the conversation
don't be afraid to ask how long the interruption will take
then decide whether you have time to handle it now or later
ask if you need to be the one to handle the interruption
if someone else can help, delegate the job
ask if you need to handle the problem right at that exact moment
if not, schedule a time to take care of it later
when interrupted, leave a memory jogger of where you left off work
it will be easier to get back into the groove when you return

PUTTING INTERRUPTIONS IN THEIR PLACE

let people know the times when you are unavailable
take precautionary measures before interruptions start
close your door and put up a "do not disturb" sign
turn your desk away from the door so you don't catch people's eyes
send your calls to voice mail
tell people "no" when they ask if they can have a few minutes
in return, establish "open door" hours for drop-in's and questions
reschedule unexpected visitors for your open door hours
invest the time up front to thoroughly explain delegated projects
save time in the long run by eliminating "clarification" questions

Copyright 2000-2009 Ramona Creel -- you are welcome to reprint any article, but you MUST include this resource box.

Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and NAPO Golden Circle Member. A former Social Worker, she has always enjoyed helping people find the resources and solutions they need to improve their lives. Ramona now travels the country as a full-time RVer, sharing her story of simplicity with everyone she meets. She leads by example -- having worked for more than 10 years as a Professional Organizer, and having radically downsized and simplified her own life as a full-time RVer. Ramona now considers herself a "Renaissance Woman" -- bringing all of her passions together into one satisfying career. As a "Virtual Organizer", she can create a customized organizing plan for your home or office. As a "Simplicity and Accountability Coach ", Ramona provides a proven program for making every area of your life a little bit easier -- perfect for those who want to make the time and space to focus on their true priorities. As a Professional Photographer, Ramona captures powerful images of places and people as she travels. And as a freelance writer and blogger, she shares organizing techniques, travel tips, and social commentary with others. You can see all these sides of Ramona -- read her articles, browse through her photographs, and even hire her to help get your life in order -- at www.RamonaCreel.com. You can also follow her on Twitter, check out her Facebook profile.

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