While distractions can easily eat up our productive time, we often have no control over when they happen. We can control how we react when a distraction unexpectedly arrives. It’s all about creating a safe place.
To set up this concept, let me welcome you into my office. There’s nothing I like better than sitting near an open window, working on a project, while also enjoying the Florida sunshine and fresh air.
The problem is that something changes every seven to ten days. That’s when the landscaping crew arrives. I never know exactly when they’re coming to the neighborhood but I always know when they have arrived.
The more than a dozen men are part of a symphony of motors, blower, and trimmers. I understand that the equipment is needed as things grow fast in Florida’s climate.
It’s just that I can’t stand those sounds. They are at the audio frequency that I would recommend you use if you want to torture me.
While hearing this noise, I will become more irritated and less productive. This is why I know that when the landscapers arrive, I need to go to my safe place.
It’s an unpredictable situation that I’ve thought about ahead of time. Think of it like the pregnant woman, who leaves a packed suitcase by her door, ready for when her due date arrives. She has prepared for the unexpected.
In my situation, a safe place can take several forms:
- I can use the arrival of the noise as an excuse to run an errand.
- I can grab my iPad and retreat to an interior room in my home and avoid the noise. (I realize that this is similar to what people are told to do in the event of severe weather.)
- If I can’t stop what I’m doing, I can plug in my noise canceling headphones and listen to some funky brainwave music that is supposed to promote a calm state of mind.
I’ve thought about my options and have a plan. Now, I can react to the situation as soon as I hear the first gas powered motor being pulled.
In your workplace, you can find a lot of noises but over time, you get used to them and block them out. It’s the unpredictable things, like the repair technician working on the copier or the coworkers who are enthusiastically reliving the weekend’s big games that distract you.
Have a plan for what you’ll do if these situations arise when you need to be at your most productive.
This might involve closing a door, breaking out the headphones, or moving to a quieter area.
There’s another option, which many of us don’t think about. It’s telling the noisy party to be quiet.
This one can feel uncomfortable because you don’t want to appear rude or unkind. But if the distraction is a problem that you can’t avoid any other way, then you need to speak up. Otherwise, you’re being unkind to yourself.
Diplomacy can help in these situations. Rather than say, “Quiet, now!” You might want to phrase things in such a way that makes people want to help you. Try something like, “I wonder if you could help me. I’m struggling to get my work done right now because I’m distracted by all the noise. It seems louder than usual. If you could quiet down a little bit, then I would really appreciate it.”
This is a gentle nudge in the direction of silence and gives you an option before you need to release a bad temper.
Most distractions arrive unexpectedly, yet at the exact time when you need to focus. Think about how you want to greet them.
