​Ugh. Interruptions!

They would linger at my door, peek 👀 in, and ask if they could ask a quick question...45 minutes later, I'd be trying to figure out where I was on the report, which took another 15 minutes to get settled back in, only to be interrupted again.

You've been there, too, even if it is virtually. The rings, dings and pings never stop and constantly distract you. As a leader, your team relies on your guidance and support. However, frequent interruptions from team members seeking advice or addressing concerns can disrupt your workflow.​

​Creating an environment that allows you to focus and be uninterrupted is essential for maximizing your productivity as a leader in a nonprofit organization. Here are some effective strategies to help you minimize and eliminate distractions.

1 - Address Urgent Client Needs
Let's address this first. In small nonprofit organizations, clients in crises often require immediate attention. While it's crucial to prioritize their needs, it's equally important to establish your boundaries to prevent them from becoming constant interruptions.​
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​Where possible, designate specific times during the day to address urgent client matters and communicate these time blocks with your team and clients. 

• Yes, even in your nonprofit, you could incorporate 10-minute standup meetings to highlight and plan for any potential crisis.

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​Empower your team to handle initial client inquiries. This allows you to focus on more complex or high-priority cases. 

• Sometimes, a simple "You've got this. I know you can handle this. If you need an ear, your team members can offer valuable suggestions."

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​2 - Set your boundaries
Get clear that you're unavailable and for how long ⏳

1. I'm going to set aside 9 – 10 a.m. each morning for focus time.
2. Identify in your Calendar "Administrative Work" so it helps you and others understand that you are doing work, just a different kind of work.
3. Request your team's support in respecting your boundaries and ask them to redirect any non-emergency matters to a designated person or time.

3 - Communicate your boundaries to your team

• Tell your people via email or explain your intentions at a team meeting. Be clear that you are designating focus time and do not want to be interrupted during them. 

👽 BONUS: Check out the CHATGPT-generated email at the end that you can use as a draft to communicate to your team)

• Ask for assistance from key team members like your team lead or administrative support. Not only can they ward off anyone headed in your direction, but they can also be available for emergencies. ​

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• Return the favour for them when they need productive times. Don't interrupt them, either!

​4 - Reinforce your boundaries
Set up your workspace in a way that discourages interruptions. Use visual cues to communicate your availability and to signal your focused state.

• Shut the door
• Close your blinds 
• Put headphones on
• Put a "Do Not Disturb" note on the door

​5 - Deal with interruptions
​Not all interruptions are avoidable, so handling them effectively is important. Before allowing someone to interrupt your focused time, assess the urgency and importance of their request. This post might help you:

• How To Know If It's Worth Letting Someone Interrupt You - 3 steps

When interruptions come, don't let them in:

• "I will have time at 10:00 a.m. Right now, I am focusing on these reports that need to be completed. If it's important before then, Crystal can help you out."

​​6 - Be strict ---> with yourself. You are your own worst enemy.
​Recognize that your internal distractions can often be more challenging than external ones. Your ability to stay focused requires willpower and self-discipline. Be mindful of your tendencies to get sidetracked and implement strategies to combat them.

​Recognize that your internal distractions can often be more challenging than external ones. Your ability to stay focused requires willpower and self-discipline. Be mindful of your tendencies to get sidetracked and implement strategies to combat them.

Your lack of focus comes more often from inside than outside. Focus requires an incredible amount of willpower. Read these blogs to discover more about staying focused.
​Moving Beyond Procrastination: 3 Powerful Strategies to Empower You to Take Action
​3 Productivity Hacks for Leaders that are Guaranteed to Boost Your Mood

Get rid of the distractions in your line vision

• Close all other programs and windows on your computer.
• Tidy your desk closing files, books, etc.

Deal with your phone
Your phone can be a significant source of distractions. Take control by:

• Turning it off
• Put it on Do not disturb
• Leave your phone on the other side of the room or in a different room

​By distancing yourself from your phone, you create a physical separation that reduces the temptation to engage with it and allows you to focus more fully on your work.

​Remember, creating an environment that minimizes distractions requires conscious effort and consistent practice. By implementing these strategies, you can establish a productive work environment that empowers you as a leader in a nonprofit organization.

1️⃣ We procrastinate because: The task makes us feel uncomfortable
In this situation, the job in front of you feeds your resistance.

• You might need to have a difficult conversation with someone and address their performance issues. That makes you feel queasy. 
• The task ahead of you stretches you outside your comfort zone. You may not know what the expectations are of you, and you're a bit nervous.

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​🟡 The Strategy for Overcoming Procrastination
If the task in front of you makes you uncomfortable, name it to tame it. 

• By pausing and identifying what's going on under the surface, you'll get a handle on the emotions triggering your procrastination.

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​🟢 It is your emotions that stop your actions.
Naming the emotion you feel allows you to deal with your resistance to the task in front of you.

• When I say I'm apprehensive about how this conversation will turn out, I can remind myself that I need to take a deep breath first. I will make sure I am well prepared. I can also schedule it at a time that allows for fresh energy, perhaps earlier in the morning. 
  • Naming the anxiety allowed me to address it instead of the anxiety paralyzing me.
• When I recognize I'm scared about chairing the upcoming meeting, I can use the fear as a cue. The fear reminds me that I see value in this group. It can help me connect with why this is important for me to do. I might remind myself that I joined this committee because it can make a big difference for our clients. 
  • Naming the fear allows me to move through the feelings of apprehension rather than it hindering me.

2️⃣ We procrastinate because: The NEXT task makes us feel uncomfortable
​Try finishing these sentences:

• If I finish this project, I will have to….
• When I finish this project, the next step will be…

​What emotion did the next task bring up for you?

• It might be that you will have more work to do.
  • That makes you feel overwhelmed.
• You may be seen as more competent and be assigned more duties.
  • This makes you feel anxious.
• It might take you to the next level of training.
  • That might make you feel nervous.

The subsequent feeling about what happens next has you procrastinating on the current project.

🟡 The Strategy for Overcoming Procrastination
Take time to recognize the links. Notice what is coming up after the task you are procrastinating on.

🟢 Make notes of your fears and your anxiety about the next step. 
Then, go back to the first strategy. Name it to tame it. Naming the emotions allows you to get a handle on it. Being in control of your emotions puts you back into motion.

​The 3 strategies:
​​Employing these strategies to move through resistance will put you back in control. 

1. Noticing the emotional connection to what is happening helps you regain momentum. 
2. Remember, name it to tame it. 
3. And please don't forget to recharge fully.