The Pongo Blog
Is Your Workplace Keeping You From Getting Work Done?
March 04, 2010 (2:45PM) by Brianna Raymond, CPRW
So there's this brilliant video over at bigthink.com of an interview with web entrepreneur Jason Fried about Why You Can't Work at Work. I say it's brilliant because he shines light on workplace issues that no one ever really talks about.
Watch the video and tell me what you think about his concepts in a comment below. But if you can't watch the video (maybe because you're at work and don't want to be interrupted? Har-har...), here are his key points:
- "You go to work to get interrupted." With nonstop meetings and people wanting instant attention, today's modern workplace is all about interruptions instead of productivity. "And the other thing about interruptions and calling people’s names, and ringing them on the phone and stuff: It’s actually really an arrogant sort of move because you’re saying that whatever I have to ask you is more important than what you’re doing. Because I’m going to stop you from doing what you are doing for me to ask you this question that probably doesn’t matter anyway....And unless it’s a true emergency, where you really need an answer right now, then you just let them be and they’ll get back to you in three hours."
- You end up working longer hours and doing most of your real work after work or on weekends. It's not that you have that much work to do, but all of the interruptions during your normal workday prevent you from doing it.
- Longer periods of uninterrupted time increases productivity. "So, if I’m busy...I don’t have to check email, I don’t have to check IM. I can put those things aside and do my work. And then when I’m done with my work and I need a break, I can go check these things out....But if someone’s calling my name, or tapping on my shoulder, or knocking on my door, I can’t ignore those things. I can quit a program, but I can’t quit someone knocking on my door."
This can be perceived as an exaggerated point of view, and it might not apply to your own workplace (and if it does, you probably can't do much to change it). But there's a lot more to his argument, including quite a bit of humor, so I urge you to watch the video if you have the time.
What do you think of interruptions in the workplace? Does this sound like your typical workday?
My issue is about 15 minutes prior to a meeting I am not likely to get too involved with any one project. So I try to kill some time doing "easy" work. But then I get the word that the meeting is running 20 minutes late..so again..how much can I contribute and focus on any one project for 20 minutes before I get distracted for a meeting. It's a terrible cycle!!
On another note, I work from home 2 days a week and I do tend to save projects that require more focus for when I am at home.
Posted by: Amy | March 04, 2010 at 3:19 PM | Quote This Comment
I once quit a job I loved for this very reason. My co-worker ate up my whole day with conversation, so I wound up staying late at night and working on weekends to get my job done. Resentment grew. I burned out and nearly had a nervous breakdown. I'm still in the same line of work, but I work for myself from home. I get interrupted, but I have more control.
Posted by: Linda S. Hopkins | March 06, 2010 at 8:40 AM | Quote This Comment
this is a very worrisome aspect of my job.my office is an open one-so you could get distracted every second of every minute.
i have found that i am more productive during later hours of the day, and i get more things after work. so i end up leaving work aroud 9pm every day.
i also work almost every sunday
Posted by: bolu | March 06, 2010 at 4:30 PM | Quote This Comment
A stop and start day rings true for me too. I find it very difficult to focus and concentrate. I want to respectful to the clients who have needs, but I also need to do my work. I am tired of coming early and staying late just to move forward in the things I need to do. Perhaps certain times where you are "off limits" would help.
Posted by: Angela M. | March 07, 2010 at 11:09 PM | Quote This Comment
While I still struggle with this issue of interruptions in the workplace in my current job, what I found interesting in my last job is they actually sent us on a workshop on time management but then didn't bring those learnings back to the workplace. Two of the things I remember getting out of the workshop were checking email and voicemails only at 2 specified times during the day and having a 'no interruptions' block of time for the entire office. For example, between 9am and 11am, employees could expect that they would have uninterrupted work time to focus on the most important priorities. Of course, this could vary from office to office in terms of what hours would work best. Three of the practices which I find very unproductive in my current workplace are: 1) arriving regularly late for meetings and the chair of the meeting regularly rewarding latecomers by delaying the start of the meeting; 2) scheduling fewer meetings but then approaching people in the office and demanding their attention immediately and 3) being unprepared for meetings and then attending to other issues while the staff you have invited to the meeting wait until you're done.
Posted by: Nonie | March 18, 2010 at 9:34 AM | Quote This Comment
I have a co-worker who has no compunction about interrupting our boss when she's in my cubicle discussion something with me - and our boss simply allows it to happen, and then acknowledges to me that it was an unwarranted interruption!
My office wonders just what skeletons from our boss's closet this co-worker has discovered. She's never reprimanded for behavior that interrupts the work being done by the rest of us.
Posted by: Betsy L. | March 24, 2010 at 3:12 PM | Quote This Comment
I totally agree with you that too much interruptions during worktime can lower our work efficiency....So creating a quiet and comfortable workplace is very essential...
Posted by: soaking tubs | June 12, 2010 at 6:06 AM | Quote This Comment
Cleary he made a good point, that's why I think I always work better the night, when I am not disturbed, and there's a quiet that make me work better...
Posted by: scrabble solver | July 01, 2010 at 7:41 AM | Quote This Comment
I work in an Adult Psych. Hospital. Never mind the constant disruptions from our clientele...the staff members constantly disrupt with unnecessary interruptions. They "blow up the phone" in the medication room with ridiculous calls. I will actually get calls to tell me someone's on their way to knock on the med. Room door! Makes you wonder if the staff needs evaluating themselves! This is all done while trying to pull medications for sometimes up to 20 patients with the expectation of 100% accuracy despite all the unnecessary disruptions.
Posted by: SockMonkey | November 21, 2010 at 12:55 PM | Quote This Comment
I hardly getwork done in the office - other than responding to emails and IMs. In my line of work where I have to read legal documents, which need concentration, and the fact that our cubicles are really low and I can hear everyone speak on phones around me (not to mention bcos of the low cubes, even people walking past me distract me)..its like I cannot do the things I should be doing. Can't we all get offices - I understand this could reduce the spontaneity of cubicle communication - but its a tradeoff you gotto make to get things done (and in my case, avoid working on weekends).
Posted by: Prasan | February 21, 2011 at 10:10 PM | Quote This Comment