You plan to spend your entire morning doing research for a project and you’re already behind schedule.  Just as you get started, your boss asks you to proofread some material for him.  Then a coworker asks for a favor in helping with something.  Within minutes, two other people show up and basically ask you to think for them.  Your normal process is to give in to all of these interruptions and more – and then fall further behind in your own work.

If you want to move ahead in your career you have to stop it. Your quality of work suffers.  You don’t want to be difficult or mean, but you’ve been so helpful that you can’t get anything done and you’re starting to get pissed off.  Do something before it’s too late.

Just say no to interruptions

Tell people your plate is full and then just shut up.  Let them say whatever they need to, but stick to your statement that you can’t take on anything else but if you get some additional time, you’ll get back to them – then again, just shut up.

Realize that you’re really not that popular

People don’t come to you to get their work done because they like you, it’s because you’re a sap and make their lives easier at your own expense.  You’ve enabled them over time and now it’s a habit.  You may even have helped turn them into the lazy bastards you think they are.

Get away so they can’t find you

They can’t bug you if they can’t find you, so if you’re one of those that always works through lunch at your desk, or always respond to emails and telephone calls – within seconds, then change.  Run like hell. You need a break.  You need to be away from it all.  You need a life.

Prioritize your plate

If you have to, get a smaller plate that you show the world, and keep the platter hidden from view.  You need time to get work done and feel good about it.  Realize that you have plenty of time to get your own job done, but you don’t have time to get your job done and someone else’s.

Be realistic

You can do only so much, there are only so many hours in a day, there is only so much resource and you’re only going to live as long as you can.  Why over-commit?

You need to think rationally about your capacity.  If you can handle it all, do it.  If you can’t, find out what you can handle and then refine your methods of ensuring that it works for you and for others.  But, managing interruptions are the key to success – so manage them.