It’s been one of those days. You start working on one of your tasks and then your manager drops by to ask about something. Or the siren’s call of email and social media sends you down the rabbit hole of blue links. Or a coworker pings you on Slack with a question. Before you know it, the day is over with nothing to show for it. Dealing with distractions like these is a vital skill to learn if you want to be effective as a software developer.

Software development requires uninterrupted blocks of time in which to think. We carefully construct a mental model of the problem while we concentrate on building a solution. Like the a house of cards, the slightest interruption can knock the whole thing down. When someone or something pops up, our brain has to dedicate a few cycles to determine how to respond. This instinct was great back in the day when there was a real danger of being eaten by a lion, but today it can wreak havoc on the modern work day. Once distracted, it takes people an average of 25 minutes to get back into the flow.

I definitely understand the struggle of dealing with distraction. As one of the senior members of the development team, I have a fairly steady stream of questions, both in person and virtually, and meeting requests. In order to meet the dual demands of my own workload and providing guidance to the rest of the team, I’ve had to learn how to deal with these distractions.

The good news is that, with a few simple strategies, you can deal with distractions effectively. Here are four strategies that I’ve found helpful for dealing with distractions during the day.

Plan Ahead

Like most things in life, I’ve found that a little advance planning makes things go much smoother. For me, that starts with a good morning routine that prepares me for the day, both mentally and physically. Part of this routine involves building a to-do list for the day. If I know in advance how I’d like the day to go, I’m more likely to take actions to reach that mini goal, rather than just react to the events of the day.

One of the best tools to do this is your calendar. Building a list of things to do is fine, but if those tasks don’t get assigned to a time of day, they’re less likely to get done. If I put “implement user story X” on my list, but I’m booked with wall-to-wall meetings that day, I’m setting myself up for failure.

Look at your calendar, and block out chunks of time you want to work, head down, undistracted. Actually put them in your calendar. If it’s in your calendar, it’s harder for someone to drop a last minute meeting in that time. If someone asks if you’re free at that time, you can honestly say you already have something else scheduled.

Each day, the first thing I do when I get to work is take out my notebook and write out, in 30-minute increments (one per line), what I want my day to look like. I’ll fill in any meetings or appointments first and then decide when I’m going to do with the remaining time.

The day won’t always go the way you want. There are the inevitable production issues or the last minute meeting from your manager, but if you’re clear on what you want to accomplish in the day, it’s much easier to bounce back and adjust your schedule.

Turn Off Notifications

Sometimes we unintentionally sabotage ourselves. There are so many great ways to communicate online, from email to instant messaging (Slack, HipChat, etc.) to social media. But these applications, by default, are very needy creatures. Every time an email or message or status update comes in, they jump up and yell, “Hey! I’ve got something for you! Pay attention to me!”  Each time that notification flashes and bounces on the screen, your brain has to decide whether it’s worth your attention or not, taking you away from your work.

Turn off these distracting notification popups. Turn off new email notifications. Turn off Twitter and Facebook status update alerts. Turn off the popups and sounds that fire every time someone mentions you in a Slack channel. I’ve even gone so far as to set my email program to only download new messages when I ask it to. That way, I’m not tempted to casually flip to the email program and see if anything new has arrived.

Don’t forget about your phone either. Put your phone in “do not disturb” mode. If you’re trying to get some work done, the constant stream of text messages, package delivery notifications, and Facebook or Twitter updates can wait until your next scheduled break time.

Isolate Yourself

It’s easy enough to disable the digital distractions around you, but there’s no “off” button for the face to face, human distractions you get during the day. Dealing with these interruptions requires a bit more finesse to avoid coming off as a jerk.

If you’re lucky enough to have an office, close the door. But treat this carefully, especially if you’re a manager. Hiding out in your office with the door closed all day isn’t a great way to build ties with the rest of your team.

Chances are, you have a cube or maybe just a desk with no door to close. In this situation, you’ll need to be a bit more creative. In one example, I saw a team publish their “quiet hours” on a rolling, A-frame style whiteboard. This board was placed at the entrance to their work area so it was hard to miss.

Another idea is to wear headphones as a signal to others that you’re in the middle of some deep, intensive work. I like the big, over the ear headphones. Not only do they sound better, but they’re more obvious to others. Sometimes I’ll put my headphones on and forget to start any music! While this is becoming standard practice, you may need to let your teammates know that when you’re wearing them, you’d like to be left alone.

Some people even pick up their laptop and move to another part of the building where they are harder to find. This may work for some, but I personally like my setup with multiple monitors, which makes it harder to just pick up and move.

Learn to Say No

In spite of all these strategies, you will still have people that need your time. If you’re in the middle of some deep work, try to put them off until your next scheduled break. Politely ask if the matter is urgent or if it can wait. Explain that you’re in the middle of something. Maybe suggest a time you’re available or promise to come find them when you’re at a good stopping point. By the time you do catch up, you may find that they have worked out the answer on their own or found someone else to answer the question. Sometimes, I’ll have people walk up and just start talking. If I’m in the middle of something, I’ll politely ask them to hold on a moment while I finish my thought. Throughout this, it’s important to remain polite. If you want to remain helpful and supportive of the others on the team, it doesn’t do any good to come off as aloof or rude.

Conclusion

We live and work in a busy world. There are so many distractions and interruptions that it can be difficult to get anything done and done well. With some careful planning, management of the distractions you can control, and training of others about your work habits, you can begin to get control of your day.

None of this is intended to be an excuse to become a hermit and never talk to anyone, even if that’s what you’d really like to do. You’re still part of a team and need to collaborate with the others you work with.

Try playing with these strategies for dealing with distractions and see if they work for you. I think you’ll find that you’ll get more done and feel less frustrated at the end of the day.

Question****: What are your strategies for dealing with distraction during the day?