Business Distractions

When you work in a ‘proper job’ there can be a lot of pressure to have fun and to party. Sometimes that’s a good thing, other times it can be an irritant. When I worked in an open-plan cross-discipline office; some Fridays the sales execs would have a big lunch to celebrate a new account win, and come back to the office in the afternoon where they’d continue to party (and expect everyone else to as well). That would be a difficult environment to get that proposal or business plan finished; I’d have been better off sitting in a wine bar.

Another time my desk was close to a TV monitor that played out MTV, and every time I turned down the volume because I couldn’t concentrate I was accused of being a killjoy! Working for yourself can be a bit easier because you have more control over your workspace, whether you are on your own or share with a bunch of co-workers. Although of course, sometimes those office distractions are welcome, especially if you fancy a trip to the pub on a Friday.

I am quoted in today’s New York Times in an article about the distractions of flirting and partying when you are on a business trip; dealing with those distractions and also having a strategy for making sure you stay focused on busines. Read the article here....