by Julie Morgenstern

大家都不喜欢在工作时被打扰，但有时一些紧急事件又不得不赶快处理。那么我们该如何处理这些“被打扰”的工作状况呢？

Put Disruptions on Your Own Timetable 预留“被打扰”的时间

Third, although it might sound like an oxymoron, you can schedule interruptions²: 虽然这听起来自相矛盾，但是你可以给“被打扰”安排好时间。

* Establish several "open" times throughout the day when anyone can stop by—at your convenience. Try alternating³ one hour closed door, one hour open. In most situations, people are fine with waiting as long as they know when they will be heard.

* Begin the conversation with "What can I do for you?" rather than "How are you?" The latter is an invitation to chat. You want to get straight to the point.

* Ask how long each person will need. Fifteen minutes? A half hour? You can choose between setting⁴ up the meeting for later or saying something like, "Let's talk now; I've got a conference call in 20 minutes." This approach forces people to stick to the amount of time they've requested.

* Rehearse a few comfortable exit lines in case someone gets you at a bad moment. For example, "I'm in the middle of finishing a project; can we talk this afternoon?" or "I'd love to help you out, but this week is impossible."

* Even for people whose interruptions you take anytime, there's no offense⁵ in asking when they need the request filled. Within the hour? The day? You'll be surprised how often there's no rush.

Recover Quickly 如何迅速地再次集中注意力

Whenever you stop in the middle of completing a task, take a moment to jot⁶ down exactly what you'd planned to do next and how long it will take. For example, "Write closing paragraph: 30 minutes." If you're working on a document, put a bright-colored Post-it on the exact spot where you left off. This will make it easier to get reoriented.

Finally, don't respond to any interruption¹ without first asking yourself the million dollar questions: Whom will you let down by saying yes? Did you also make a promise to someone else? Whose disappointed face can you tolerate⁷ least—the person's in front of you or your boss's?