One key way to reduce the volume of interruptions you receive, is to consider before you interrupt others.

Following on from yesterday’s post, here is another simple triage:

• Is this something you could find out yourself with a little research?  Could you look it up rather than asking someone else?   If people are constantly asking each other the same questions, you’ve got something missing – FAQs, or a system that holds frequently referenced information, or what you do have isn’t easy enough to use.
• Could you phone rather than email/text/whatsapp?   Talking is often quicker than typing.  And you have to be sure the other person will see it.  It’s easy to think you’ve dealt with it because you’ve sent your message.  But it isn’t dealt with till you’ve arrived at an answer.
• If you’re dealing with a colleague, could you go to their desk and talk to them?  That way you get the benefit of whole communication.
• Could you use a message to schedule a call or a meet?  Then you know its convenient for both of you.

Respecting other people’s time helps them to respect yours.