5 Easy Ways To Handle Interruptions While Working From Home
Working from home is becoming the new normal. Let’s learn to adjust.
It seems like with every passing hour I’m hearing from another friend or colleague on Facebook or Twitter that they’re now going to be working from home for the foreseeable future. Many of those folks seem to feel it’s doable, but they’re worried about how to handle working at home while their kids, spouses, or housemates are all under that same roof.
How to work with the constant threat of being interrupted? I mean… it’s a real worry. You’ve got work to do. You need that paycheck.
I’ve been working from home for near 20 years. My wife’s schedule is such that she is sometimes home while I’m trying to have a workday. Add to that, the past few years have included a small child as well.
Here are five pieces of actionable advice for folks finding themselves stuck at home and dealing with the potential for interruption while trying to get work done. Wait — scratch that. Not the potential for interruption. The inevitability of interruption.
Here we go.
Set work hours and get everybody on board
Don’t let your family be surprised that you’re going to be working for certain stretches of the day. If you have a family whiteboard or other place to post notices, reminders, or schedules, make sure to include in large letters “MOM (or Dad or whomever) IS GOING TO BE WORKING FROM 9 AM TO 11:30 AM AND THEN FROM 1 PM TO 5 PM.” (Don’t be afraid to write in all caps. Sometimes you have to shout… metaphorically speaking)
Right now, the kids are home from school. There is no daycare available. It’s not convenient for anyone, but if everyone works together, everything will be fine.
Explain to your family how they should get your attention if necessary
You’ve clearly communicated your schedule. Now you need to communicate the exceptions to that schedule. Point out that you’ve already included time in the middle of the day for lunch and an activity. You could even acknowledge that you might take a short break to make some coffee or go to the bathroom from time to time.
But when it comes to interrupting you while you’re working, make it as equally clear that it should be for emergencies only.
Jonny not being able to find his sneakers is not an emergency. Mabel breaking an arm is.
Discuss, too, how an interruption, if needed, should occur. A light knock on the door (whether the door is open or closed) or a light knock on the door frame. If you are on the phone, they could quietly hand you a note.
You may even allow them to text you. I admit that sounds a little cold and distant, but you need to decide what will work best for you.
Everyone is going to have to be a bit patient — especially if it’s a situation where you can’t drop what you’re doing immediately. Unless Mabel’s bone is poking through the skin, it can wait a minute while you finish.
Plan your day thoughtfully
Most of us know our prime working hours and conditions for productivity. Use that knowledge. Mornings might be the most chaotic part of the day in your household as adults and children get up and figure out what’s in store for the day ahead. Help them plan their day even as you plan yours.
If the kids have schoolwork or another activity planned that doesn’t require supervision, make use of that time to do the work you need to do that can’t be interrupted. If you know that others in the house are going to be more at loose ends later in the day and more likely to interrupt you, fill that part of the day with the tasks that can be interrupted.
Have a worst-case scenario plan
Things are going to go awry. The first step is acknowledging that. Businesses have business continuity plans that help keep them operating during times of flood, fire, or other disasters. You should have something similar.
Mabel might break that arm. Jonny might get stuck in a tree. Your husband (bless his heart) might have set the stove on fire. Worse, someone might have gotten sick — including you!
Your schedule may be disrupted for any or all of the above. Have a single person you can rely on to pass the word on to employers, co-workers, or clients that you may not be available to handle work for the next day or days. If you have time, see if someone else can take on some of your work so your business doesn’t suffer.
You don’t have to go overboard. Just take a few moments to think about what you might need to do should “the worse” (whatever that may be) happen. If you can prepare for the worst in even a small way, you’ll be better off than if you had not anticipated trouble at all.
Roll with it
We’re all in this together. Bosses and clients are going to understand this. If you’re the boss or the client, know that those you work with understand this. Everybody is going to be adjusting to working from home and being cooped up with kids and other family members. We should all be prepared to make accommodations when we can and understand when others we interact with have to make accommodations in their own lives.
Look… those TP reports might be filed a few hours late. It’s not the end of the world. Trust in others and ourselves to know what’s important. If your work involves someone else’s livelihood, health or paycheck, try to keep that in mind and give it a priority. If your work is less urgent, decide what is urgent and focus on that first.
Sometimes family does come first. I think we can all do well to accept and embrace that.
This whole COVID-19 crisis might blow over sooner than anticipated, or it may stretch on longer than anyone cares to think about. A lot depends on how we, individually and as a group, respond and act.
Don’t panic. Be smart. Use common sense. If you aren’t sure about common sense, ask an expert. A real expert.
You may be working home for a while. You’ve got this. We’ll manage to keep this old world spinning.
Cheers!
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