Why office is not good place for great work. Where people doing job when they want to make it done? Business make this offices and spent money for this building, why that happening?
People going to work, people don't have work days, 30 minutes here and 20 minutes there, 10 minutes coffee, and 1 hour your launch and day is done. You set on my desk I used to use expensive computer and daily meetings, but work is not done, because especially developers, designers, testers, office workers have to work and do they work at home or they need to go to the office early in the morning, because destruction's. Sleep and work are staged based events, you need to dive to dip and long stages before you really make something well. You went to this phases of you sleep or you work, but after this interruptions you are not sleep very well.
Why work doesn't happen at work?
No one care about smoke breaks a long time ago. Now all problems connected to YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Internet surfing... Managers and Meetings are interrupting people, they don't do they work, but they need to be sure that other people doing they work. They trying to check you on this terrible meetings, you will never see spontaneous meeting by employer, it is always manager, you need to stop that you doing and come to the meeting. You go to the meeting and taking about things that are going to done later, but it is not to important now. 1 hour meeting for company it is not just 60 minutes, it is 60 by each person on this room. Meetings are Managers are major problems in offices, because out of office we don't have such M&Ms.
Where do you go when you need to get things done? In a TED talk, captured in a YouTube video, 37 Signals co-founder Jason Fried says when he asks that question the seemingly obvious answer never comes up: the office.
Instead, respondents list a place or location (such as their porch or kitchen); a moving object (a plane, a train, their car); or a time (early morning, weekends).
Fried talks about the how absurd it that many people are most productive in trains, cafes, dens, but not in the office. One of the more salient remarks in Fried’s talk is that “people go to work and they’re basically trading in their work day for work moments“. In essence, Fried is suggesting that creative work that requires long uninterrupted stretches of focus is inherently disrupted by the distractions of modern office life.
Curiously, Fried draws parallels between sleep and work as activities that are “phase-based,” requiring prior phases to complete before being truly rested or productive; you may sleep for many hours, but interruptions will lead to more tiredness. Fried goes on to suggest that the perceived distractions of Facebook and web surfing at work are false, with “M&Ms” (managers & meetings) making up greater, involuntary, more disruptive and expensive distractions. The talk concludes with three recommendations from Fried:
- “No-talk Thursdays.” A period of “quiet time” prohibiting coworkers from talking to each other and limiting distraction.
- Replacing active communication, like conversation, with passive forms such as email, IM and collaboration tools.
- Cancel your meetings. Things will still get done!
Important staff done
Look at the PROJECTS you have to do. Break them up into chunks. Schedule time to work on more involved projects during the time you receive the FEWEST distractions and plan on doing the quicker and less involved tasks when you are more likely to be distracted. Sometimes things happen during your day that truly need your immediate attention but if even managing some of the distractions will increase your productivity dramatically. You may even find that you have more time to do the things you really want to do – outside of work.
Manage distractions in your workplace?
- The best way to eliminate distraction is to ignore it. This means that you can easily take control of the situation and decide rationally how and when to react to any such distraction.
- Stay focused by planning all your work on a priority basis. By knowing exactly what you should be doing at any point of time, you can keep yourself engaged and can never get distracted.
- It is understood that you can try to reduce the effects of distraction but cannot avoid it entirely. So this calls for your rational judgment to devote some more time to the vital tasks if in case you need to handle some other task too.
- Before being engaged in some serious task, you should always get rid of any distractive element in your work environment. These include various visually stimulating objects on your desk, your cell phone, TV, email notification in your computer and many such things. These disciplinary acts should also be spread among your co-workers in order to create a good and encouraging working environment.
- Regular meditation can also be an effective solution to eliminate distraction. It trains your brain to remain calm and overcome the hurried feeling about a lot of things together.
- Produce “work time” and set restrictions. Get yourself a do not disturb sign if you want to. Make absolutely certain everyone understands you happen to be doing work and never to be disturbed. It is helpful if you can create special periods throughout the day that are dedicated to work and specific times that are dedicated to household, duties and errands.
- Close all pc programs that aren’t directly related to what you happen to be doing. Of course, that means Facebook and Twitter too! And of course close your e-mail except if you happen to be looking at it.
- Talking about email, quit examining it each and every five minutes! Look at it three times a day, max. Verify it once each morning, once in the evening and once during lunch.
- Switch off your cell phone or set specific ring tones with regard to critical numbers and overlook all other telephone calls. Google Voice is a good tool because you can have voice mail messages delivered to you as text messages. That will save you time during your lunch break because you can check your voice mail and your e-mail simultaneously.
- Remove the tv set and the radio/stereo from your workplace if they are distractions. Normally, tv is a distraction for most of us. On the other hand, some people find it simpler to work to music. You choose. You understand yourself much better than other people. If music can be a distraction, eliminate it from your work environment.
- Prepare yourself. Take the dog outdoors prior to deciding to settle down to work. Utilize facilities and pick up some food along with something to drink so you no longer need to get up while you happen to be working.
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Set time aside for tasks and errands. Laundry, dirty dishes and food shopping can wait, right? However, in case you haven’t set aside time and energy to get them accomplished they will loom above you and keep you from getting the work completed. Schedule time for them and the stress is removed. You’ll be able to concentrate on staying effective.
Managing your time
You also need to create a schedule that minimizes distractions. Analyze your day to find out WHEN you are interrupted the most -- and the least? Schedule chunks of time to work on involved projects when you are less likely to be interrupted. Handle email, phone calls and schedule meetings at set times every day, and communicate your schedule to co-workers. Most of all, RESPECT your schedule. If others see you following your schedule they will be more inclined to do so.
References
Fried’s TEDxMidwest talk at TED.com and learn more about Fried’s book, REWORK, at 37signals. (And if you want to find out more about enabling a remote workforce to to be more productive, you should also come to our Net:Work conference in San Francisco on Dec. 9 — Ed.).
1. Establish Personal Quiet Times:
If your official quiet times have been canceled, try to establish your own. Block off periods on your calendar as "focus time" and treat these blocks as you would any important meeting. Inform your team and manager about these blocks to set expectations.
2. Create a Personalized Workspace:
If noise is a distraction, consider using noise-canceling headphones or listening to white noise or ambient sounds. Organize your workspace to minimize visual distractions, and if possible, face away from high-traffic areas.
3. Leverage Technology:
Use apps or tools that limit your access to distracting websites or notify you when you're spending too much time on non-work-related activities. Tools like Pomodoro timers can help you break down work into focused intervals followed by short breaks.
4. Communicate Your Needs:
If distractions are affecting your work, don't hesitate to communicate this to your manager or team. They might not be aware of the impact. Suggest alternatives or adjustments that could help reduce distractions for everyone.
5. Adjust Your Schedule:
If possible, adjust your working hours to times when the office is quieter. Early mornings or later evenings can offer uninterrupted work time if your job allows for flexible scheduling.
6. Plan and Prioritize:
Start each day by identifying your top priorities. Knowing exactly what you need to accomplish can help you stay focused, even in a distracting environment. Use task lists or project management tools to keep track of your progress.
7. Take Scheduled Breaks:
Regular breaks can improve focus and productivity. Step away from your desk, take a walk, or do some stretches. This can help you return to your work with renewed focus, making you less susceptible to distractions.
8. Seek Out Quiet Areas:
If your workspace allows, find a quiet area away from the main workspace for tasks requiring deep concentration. This could be a meeting room, a quiet corner, or even a nearby café.
9. Set Boundaries with Colleagues:
Politely let your colleagues know when you're in the middle of focused work and ask not to be disturbed unless it's urgent. You can use signals like headphones or a status update in communication tools.
10. Reflect and Adjust:
Regularly review what distractions are most disruptive and assess how well your strategies are working. Be willing to try new approaches or adjust your current strategies to find what works best for you.
By implementing these strategies, you can create a more focused work environment for yourself, even without officially designated quiet times. Remember, it's about finding what works best for you and being proactive in managing your environment and schedule.
Summary
All the more reason for eLearning, anytime, anywhere; let people decide what’s appropriate to learn and when to learn it. You can’t do that with scheduled training. If you have power to cancel meeting just cancel it and everything will be fine. All decisions will be solved. 
- Monitor your time
- Send a clear message that you are focused and work-oriented
- Always think about how you can make a distraction useful
- Disconnect if you need to
- Tell other people about your deadlines and commitments
- Delegate and ask for help
