Lately, I have witnessed too many organizations change their workspaces to an open concept environment. When will this terrible trend end? Companies are generally moving to open concept environments to create a team-based atmosphere. However, research shows open concept work environments lead to more interruptions and lower productivity (among other issues).

Constant interruptions make it difficult to complete one task at a time. It has been proven focusing trumps multi-tasking. Focusing is faster, leads to better quality work and is less stressful.

If you work in an open concept environment, I extend my sincerest condolences and offer these five strategies to help you accomplish as much as possible:

Establish a Focus Routine

A focus routine is essential to productivity. Toggle between work that requires focus and smaller tasks. Try to batch interruptions as much as possible. During focus periods, close email, put the phone on “do no disturb”, signal to others interruptions are unwelcome and save that trip to the coffee machine for later. Once the focus period is over, batch process email, follow up with co-workers, return phone calls and take a moment for yourself.

Use Headphones Sporadically

How do you signal to people you are focusing when you cannot close your office door? Many use headphones. The mistake we often make is to ALWAYS wear headphones when we are at our desk. We teach people how to work with us. If our co-workers learn they can never get our attention, they will interrupt while the headphones are on. Plus, wearing headphones all of the time makes us seem a little unapproachable.

If you have created a focus routine in your day, take your headphones off while doing the smaller tasks. This will signal to co-workers you are available to work with them.

Book a Meeting Room

If using headphones really isn’t your style, book a meeting room at least once per day. Try moving to a quiet, interruption free environment for thirty to sixty minutes every morning. We generally experience peek productivity within two hours of waking up.

Set “Office” Hours

Defined “office” hours set the expectation that co-workers will be able to reach us at some point during the day. This encourages our co-workers to batch discussions for scheduled times. In an open concept work environment, it is usually best to move to a conference room for your “office” hours. Communicate your “office” hours to team members and let them know where to find you. Your open concept neighbours will thank you for reducing their interruptions too.

Minimize The Length of Interruptions

What if you apply all of these strategies and you still get interrupted during a focus period? Try to reduce the length of the interruption.

Stand Up

When someone comes to your desk, stand up to greet them. Standing meetings are shorter. It is unlikely the other party will sit down while you are standing. (That is just awkward.)

Follow Up

Ask your co-worker what they need help with. If the need is not urgent, let your co-worker know you are working on a task but you will be available shortly. Ask if you can follow up when you are finished. Give them a specific timeframe, so you do not interrupt them later. This also moves the meeting to your co-worker’s desk or a neutral zone where you can control the length of the meeting.

Move Up

Sometimes a co-worker will linger after you have agreed to follow up with them. In this care, take a very subtle step towards them. Most people will back up when someone moves toward them.

Infrastructure decisions are often made years before infrastructure changes. Infrastructure changes are expensive. Sadly, many organizations will keep the open concept work environment despite the downfalls. In the meantime, we must find ways to manage interruptions and focus in our open concept environment.