If you want to get more done at work, then you’ll need to protect your time from your coworkers. You may have trained them to think of your availability, like a convenience store that’s always open.
While it’s good to be helpful, is it distracting you from your goals? In this week’s edition of our weekly productivity series, you’ll learn some easy ways to create some boundaries and politely protect your time.
What Productivity Questions Does This Video Answer?
- How do you protect your time from your coworkers?
- What’s an easy way to block out distracts at work?
- How can I get peace and quiet at work?
- How can I be less available to my coworkers but still support them?
Video Transcript for Protect Your Time from Your Coworkers
Are you a little too available at work? It’s great that you’re able to help out your coworkers. They make they may have questions. Issues may come up. You’re there to provide some assistance. Wonderful. But do they think of you almost like a convenient store, where you’re open 24 /7, able to drop anything to help them out.
In certain jobs that’s the job. But for a lot of us, there are those times when when we need to focus on our important work. And we need to remove those distractions so we can get it all done.
So have you fallen a little too far to one side, being a little too open, a little too available? Can you try, maybe just for 30 minutes, during those periods when you really need to focus on things, you close the door. You don’t have email or phone notifications. Your turn those off. And you were just able to focus on your work.
Try this out for 30 minutes. See if the world comes to an end. I’m guessing I am guessing it won’t. May feel a little uncomfortable at first.
Another strategy that you could always try, can you move to another location? Where you can focus on some of that important work. Maybe this is a conference room that’s not being used. Can you go there, work out of there for a half hour?
Over time you may start to re-train people to think to think differently about your availability. You’re not being rude. But but you’re being respectful of your time. And the work that you need to get done.
Try it out a little bit. Availability is good, focusing on your goals that’s better.
About Ken Okel
As a motivational speaker, Ken Okel works with leaders and organizations to boost productivity, performance, and profits. At conferences, conventions, and company meetings, he engages audiences with new ways to maximize their time at work. To see a sample of his keynote and workshop presentations, visit his video page.
