Get Out Of My Office
I love a good chat but there are times when I don't. One of those times is when I need to get work done. I work to support my passions and every minute I'm at work longer than I need to be is stealing time away from my #1 passion, my family. I'm not one of those people who will shirk my responsibilities and leave at straight up 5 o'clock, so idle conversation can cause me to have to stay at work late and miss out on time with my sons or other interests and projects I am pursuing. I like my coworkers, but I'd rather be with family or riding my bike down the road with the wind in my face. It's that simple.
As I've been faced with the inconvenience of this situation at a higher frequency lately, I've been forced to watch the clock and tell people to get out of my office so I can continue what I was working on before they interrupted. I haven't made any enemies but I know which people are going to waste my time and those that have the same philosophy as I do: get to work and get it done. I decided to put something into play that will ensure I won't waste more than 10 minutes listening to "time bandits" gab on and on. Here is what I've put together:
- I created a quick 10 minute Timer (free) action in Launch Center Pro ($3.99) on my iPhone labelled "Get Out".
- I always have my iPhone right beside my keyboard so I can easily launch the Launch Center Pro app and tap the "Get Out" icon start a silent countdown timer.
- At the 10 minute mark (or whatever you choose), a discrete alarm (even if your phone is on vibrate) will sound giving me the opportunity to interrupt the conversation and let my visitor know I need to get back to work.
This is just one way I manage my daily interruptions. I'm interested to hear how you accommodate interruptions to your daily work schedule. Leave a comment and let me and other readers know your secrets.