I’m returning to the office 5 days/week and worry about managing office distractions. What tips do you have?

If you’ve been working remotely or in a hybrid situation for a long time, it’s completely natural to worry about managing workplace interruptions and maintaining focus now that you’re back to sharing a workspace with others. Read on for strategies to keep your day on track.

Share Your Schedule

Start by making it easier for everyone to see when you’re available. Share calendars or use a team dashboard to let everyone know when you’re on calls, in meetings and free. If everyone has a clear idea of your work patterns, it’s less likely you’ll get interrupted during critical moments. And don’t feel obligated to include details in your shared calendar. Simply mark off time as “Busy” or “Unavailable,” or make use of your calendar’s privacy settings.

Create Dedicated Times or Spaces for Focus

Look for ways to carve out dedicated spaces or times for uninterrupted work. This could mean using noise-cancelling headphones, making a ‘focus playlist’, reserving a conference room for yourself, turning off notifications during peak productivity times, or simply having a small “do not disturb” sign at your desk. If you can’t find a physical space, even setting a calendar block for “deep work” can signal to others (and yourself) that you’re not available for interruptions at that time.

Move Your Body

Move your body every 45 minutes to keep your brain engaged. Some ideas include arm stretches while sitting, lunges while standing or taking a short walk outside in between meetings. If there’s not much space to move, at least stretch your neck and jaw to keep your blood flowing. Doing small moves throughout the day will help you stay focused on the task at hand, making small disruptions less likely to derail your workflow.

And if you are leading a team, implement policies and procedures that can help minimize disruptions to you and your employees. Below are a few simple ideas you can adopt right away.

Built- in Breaks

Counterintuitively, having regular, consistent break times can reduce unplanned disruptions. Let your team know you’ll have an open-door policy from 11–11:30am or 3–3:30pm, for example. If they know they can bring you quick questions then, they’re more likely to hold off on interrupting at other times.

Encourage Open Communication and Feedback

Ask your team about what’s causing distractions. For example, maybe there’s confusion about who’s handling certain tasks or when to Slack vs email, leading to more questions. A short team meeting or quick survey can reveal simple fixes that improve everyone’s focus.

Incorporate a Daily Stand-Up

Consider a quick morning team huddle where everyone shares their priorities or schedule for the day. It’s less likely someone will be interrupted mid-task because the team will know what everyone else is working on. During the daily stand-up, remind others that periods of focus are respected and even celebrated.

Whether you are dreading or elated about going back to work in-person, there is going to be an adjustment period. It’s important to give yourself and your colleagues grace as you all adapt to a new normal. A little bit of empathy and understanding will go a long way in ensuring everyone is focused and able to do their best work.