How many times have you settled in to focus on an important task, only to have your day hijacked by someone else’s agenda? Whether you work in an office, from home, or are constantly on the road, there are so many ways for a tiny distraction to escalate into a major waste of time. Maintaining your focus is key if you want to achieve your goals, so here are a few handy tips to escaping other people’s agendas.

1. Practice Saying “No”

Everyone knows the scenario well: you’re walking back to your desk and someone taps you on the shoulder. “Got a minute?” they say. “Sure,” you reply…even when you don’t actually have a minute. The truth is, small disruptions like this kill an average of 7 minutes or more. In the worst cast scenario, they can throw your whole day into chaos. Next time someone asks you if you’ve “got a minute,” tell them “no”. Unless it’s an absolute crisis that needs your immediate attention, ask them to schedule a time to talk through the issue with you. That way you can give their problem your full attention without sacrificing your own productivity.

2. Log Out of Slack

This might sound controversial, but I don’t use Slack. Like email, office chat programs have become a central part of our work lives. But if you’re not careful, they can easily end up tanking your productivity. How many times have you responded to a simple question only to get sucked into a long conversation? If I logged into Slack each morning and started chatting with my team, my day would be shot in no time. I know that in some workplaces Slack is mandatory. If this is the case, you can still log out for a few hours each day to focus on high-value tasks. In fact, I would say that it’s essential!

3. Consolidate Meetings 

It’s well known that meetings are a big productivity killer. That doesn’t mean you need to get rid of them altogether. Instead of separate project meetings, schedule a daily scrum where people explain each task they are working on, and surface any issues that are stopping them from getting their work done. To be even more efficient, try scheduling your scrum for the least productive time of day, like 3 or 4 pm in the afternoon.

4. Use Headphones

If you work in an open-plan office, a huge time waster can be co-workers dropping by your cubicle to chat. You may feel rude telling someone to leave you alone, so send a signal that you’re busy by using headphones to block out distractions. Instead of simply listening to your favorite music, consider using a service like Focus@Will, which streams playlists of music that facilitate deep concentration and boost productivity.

5. Turn Off Your Phone

Like meetings, unscheduled phone calls can be a huge time waster. If you need to get something done, simply turning your phone off and placing it in a drawer for a few hours is often the simplest and best option I appreciate that some people need to be available to take phone calls, so another option might be to schedule “office hours” when people can call you, or use an app to prioritize important calls. If you’re a solopreneur or small business owner, you may also want to consider a virtual receptionist service to filter your calls. What are the most common ways you find your day being hijacked? Let me know in the comments below… For more great productivity hacks, check out the Get Yourself Optimized podcast.