Stop! Don’t go in there! There are many studies done about the impact of distractions in our work life and how they reduce our productivity. While not making light of a true affliction, a term has been used by many to describe the challenges we face with the lack of quiet focus time: Corporate ADD (attention deficit disorder). When you are distracted from your work by many interruptions it’s difficult to get back on track, or even back to the same task, for an average of 20 minutes. I’m not going to rehash the stats or the distractions, I am going to offer a tip to help a little bit with the distractions.

At Aquire we use red objects outside our cube or office door to signal that we are really not to be disturbed. A red symbol is a stop sign and it means “don’t knock on my door or step into my cube.” It is used judiciously to be effective. We allow each employee to select their own red object. There is a red plush ladybug that hangs from a door handle that says “don’t bug me.” A red marble apple on the edge of a cube or a red silk flower placed in a vase all give a silent reminder that “now is not the time.” Some people have also started using laminated signs hung up with a red ribbon that state “Quiet Please, Web Ex In Session” which indicates a connection over the internet with customers.

It’s quick, it’s easy to understand. People don’t leave their red object out all the time – or their co-workers will be begin to ignore the symbol for that person. This practice has trained our employees that to get people to respect the symbol’s meaning, they must respect the symbol themselves. By letting each person have their own symbol, employees can work within their own personality and decor, too.

Cheers,
Lois

Posted in Blogging
Tags: productivity