... Arghhh. One of the biggest problems for ... business types is the ... stream of ... disrupt our train of thought. ... phone ... that need attent Interruptions. Arghhh. One of the biggest problems for ushome-based business types is the relentless stream of thingsthat disrupt our train of thought. Unexpected phone calls,children that need attention, the dog needs to go out, thecat needs to come in, the sink is leaking, the car needs togo to the shop... it never ends!It is extremely frustrating to be in the middle of animportant letter or proposal, deep in thought, only to haveAunt Bertha call to tell you about her bunions. What to do?Aunt Bertha's bunions are important! (To her.) Someinterruptions can be eliminated, some can be controlled, andsome, well........ sorry, FedEx just got here and needed asignature... where was I? Oh yes; and there are someinterruptions you've just got to live with.Let's start with interruptions that can be eliminated:phone calls. Turning the phone completely off is always anoption; let the answering machine get it. That's not alwayspractical, though; we do want to talk to our customers,don't we? Well, I have two words for you: "Caller ID".This is a wonderful service provided by the phone companyfor a small monthly fee that, when the phone rings, displaysinformation about the caller on a little gizmo that you canget at Radio Shack for under $20. (And, there's nointerruption for installation: they do it from theiroffice!)Bingo! Now you know who's calling before you answer thephone and you can make an intelligent decision whether ornot to answer it. If it's Aunt Bertha, let the machine getit and call her back later when it's convenient for you.You now have power over the phone, and it is good. Theinterruption has been reduced to looking to see who it is.Other interruptions can be controlled. For example, youneed a plumber to fix the sink and have a friend that wantsto see your hydrangeas. Schedule them both for the sameafternoon, i.e., group things into specific time slots ifpossible and then plan activities for that time that are notsensitive to interruptions.Another consideration: don't schedule them for the time ofday that is your best "thinking" time. For example, I am atmy best in the morning so, when I have a choice, I avoidscheduling things in the morning. That way, theinterruptions don't disturb me when I'm at my best.Are kids or spouses walking in and asking you mundanequestions that could have waited? Have a signal that means"DO NOT BOTHER ME UNLESS SOMETHING IS BURNING OR BLEEDING".It could be as simple as closing your office door. Or, youcould turn on a specific light or lamp that would mean thesame thing. How about a "Do Not Disturb" door hangersimilar to those in a hotel? Make it a strict rule andenforce it: they will get the idea. Eventually.We have just scratched the surface, but this beast can betamed with a little thought and creativity. Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com