Stiff Arming Interruptions

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I am a fan of American Football. I have been one for all my life. It was a game I played a lot as a child. However, I was never big enough to consider it as nothing more than having fun with the neighborhood kids.

Found in Rugby as well, there is a technique used by the ball carrier to keep a defender off them called the stiff arm. The runner can get quite aggressive and use their arm to keep distance between them and the oncoming defensive player.

The term can also be applied to help you manage your time and reduce interruptions to your productivity. Now, before I am accused of inciting violence in the workplace, let me clarify – this is figurative, and I am using an analogy. Stiff arming interruptions is a non-contact process of asking yourself some questions to prepare for any disruptions.

Preparing for interruptions might seem like a contradiction in terms. If you set up well enough, then there shouldn’t be interruptions. Right? All true, but that is only part of the equation. Interruptions will come no matter how well you plan. The kind of preparation we are discussing here is also preparing yourself to be negative, to keep distance between you and those who would keep from being productive.?You formulate a strategy that allows you to quickly place the burden back to the interrupter.

Based on this, there is a two-part nature of time optimized interruption prevention. Here are the first set of questions to ask and answer yourself. Typically, this is done at the beginning of the day or right before you embark on a focused task or project that requires minimal or no intrusions.

• Do I have my calendar blocked off for this time?
• Is this on my to-do list?
• Have I negotiated protected time for this?
• Have I informed the appropriate people about the need for protected time?
• Have I turned off the necessary electronic devices? This will also help you with distractions as well.
• Do I understand my alternatives, should I have to address the interruption?

Part-one should be relativity straight forward in a time optimized life. Part-two is more fluid. Here you want to prepare yourself for what you will do if you are interrupted during that critical focus time.

• ?Am I ready to ask, “Sorry, can this please wait until later?”
• Do I have alternative times planned on my calendar to reschedule?
• Do I have questions ready to determine the seriousness of the intrusion?
• Am I ready to push back?
• Can I explain the challenges of what will happen if I do not get done with my work?

As the interruption happens, the questions start off by pushing the accountability back to the other person. The negative kicks in and comes back to you, to see if you are ready to push back if deflection does not work. Finally, you now seek to educate them on your priorities to see if they will and can adjust theirs.

There you have it. A plan for you to be ready to figuratively stiff arm your way to less interruptions and more focus, no contact required.

David Buck is the author of the book The Time-Optimized Life, owner of Kairos Management Solutions, LLC, and founder of the Infinity Lifestyle Design program. As a certified professional retirement coach (CPRC), David works with financial services providers helping their clients create a post-career lifestyle strategy. To learn more, contact him at [email protected] or visit Infinity Lifestyle Design.