2167: How to Tame Interruptions (That Derail Your Best Laid Plans) by Julie Morgenstern on Time Management

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[00:00:54] This is Optimal Work Daily. How to tame interruptions that derail your best laid plans. By Julie Morgenstern of JulieMorgenstern.com Whether you work from home or go into the office, interruptions happen. You start out with a perfectly well-planned day, and inevitably people ping or ding you asking for something. Just as a meeting is ending, someone says, Hey, do you have a minute? And then they hand you a new project, or pull you in to advise them on something.

[00:01:23] The unplanned requests keep coming all day, and you often find yourself saying, Sure, happy to help. The result? You end up over-committed and overwhelmed, struggling to complete an impossible workload. Of course, some of the interruptions in our day are truly critical, and must be handled exactly at that moment. But 80% of the spontaneous requests that come our way do not need to be dealt with immediately, and many are for things we should not be saying yes to at all. We shouldn't blindly agree to random requests that will take us away from higher priorities,

[00:01:53] or are outside our designated lane or expertise, and therefore the most inefficient thing for us to spend time on. In reality, we often want to say no, but say yes because we're caught off guard. We get tripped up in an effort to be good team players. There is a way to manage unexpected requests with grace and logic, while also being a great team member. Here are three strategies to tame interruptions that derail your best-laid plans. One, get out of the automatic yes.

[00:02:21] When somebody comes to you with a spontaneous request, unless it is truly a crisis, stop saying yes in the moment. Examples of a crisis worthy of an automatic yes would be, The CEO is making a surprise appearance right now. Or, we need help closing this deal or we're going to lose the client. In all other cases, it's better to put a pause in it and put some distance between the request and your response. This will position you to make better, more thoughtful, and intentional decisions. Try saying, I'd love to help.

[00:02:51] Let me take a look at what's on my plate and what I can move around to make space to support you. I'll circle back with you later in the day. This positions you as a true team player who wants to help and communicates how responsible you are in fulfilling commitments. Two, put the request in perspective. Once you've bought yourself a little time, in the quiet of your own space, consider the request in the context of everything else on your plate. Evaluate the true time demands of the unexpected request, your capacity to handle the extra workload,

[00:03:21] and your unique expertise in adding value. It's helpful to stop thinking of outside requests as their work versus your work. The truth is, all of it is the company's work. With that lens in mind, identify what the interruption will take you away from. Objectively speaking, what would the company consider the highest and best use of your time? If you conclude the request will take you away from something the company is really counting on you to do, that will inform your response. And three, respond with grace.

[00:03:50] You can now go back to the person prepared, informed, and intentional. You might give a resounding yes, making visible what you are able to put aside to make room for this new important assignment. You might need to come back with a gracious no, but delivered with a sense of shared commitment to the company's best interests. I would love more than anything to be a part of this project, but for the next month, my team and I are being counted on to redesign the entire product line. I couldn't possibly do this assignment justice. Please keep me in mind for future projects.

[00:04:19] You can also answer with a modified yes, where you use the context of what else is on your plate to guide the when or how. For example, yes, but not now. I can definitely take this on. The next three days, I'm on deadline to deliver a major report for the company. I can start this project next week. Or, yes, but not that way. I'm honored to be asked. I don't have the capacity to take on the whole project, but if you find somebody else to do the heavy lifting, I can serve as a guide and advisor.

[00:04:47] It takes practice to get out of the automatic yes and hit the pause button to put a little distance between unexpected requests and your response. But rest assured, once you build those muscles, you will find the improved decision-making and sustainable workload worth the effort. You can manage unexpected requests with grace and logic while also being a great team member. You just listened to the post titled How to Tame Interruptions That Derail Your Best-Laid Plans

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[00:05:46] Offers worth bragging about. Sell your car today on Carvana. Pick up fees may apply. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required. Compatibility and availability varies 18+.

[00:06:17] And thanks very much to Julie for this post. Julie Morgenstern is an organizing and productivity consultant, New York Times bestselling author, and speaker. For over 25 years, Julie has been teaching people all over the world and at all stages of life how to overcome disorganization to achieve their goals. She's the inventor of the inside-out approach to organization and the brain behind their services. And she has a bunch of great articles and much, much more on her website, which again is juliemorgenstern.com. So please check that out.

[00:06:45] Our authors always appreciate the support when you head over to their site. And again, a thank you to Julie for letting us share her work. And with that, we've reached the end of today's episode. I do hope you enjoyed it, and thanks so much for being here with me. And I'll see you back here tomorrow for more great content on business and entrepreneurship. And that is where your optimal life awaits. Thank you.