Whenever I worked out of a client site at McKinsey, I used to look for a closed room where I could close the door and work with complete focus.
I may sound like a misanthrope but I promise you — but it was worth it. 😃 I once took over a project that a two-member client team had been unable to close for a year, and completed it in two weeks.
Such is the power of singular focus, and yet, it has become a rare exception.
So here is an idea for companies to test: Designate some rooms in your office as ‘focus dens.’ If you have an open office plan, it could even be a portion of the office floor or a few cubicles.
And have clear-cut rules for everyone to follow:
1. Anyone in a focus den should not be interrupted (except in a real emergency) or required to check Slack or email (except once every 1-2 hours).
2. In and around the focus dens, cut down noise as much as possible.
3. Before moving into a focus den, people can just inform their manager and get their sign-off.
4. For anyone who violates these rules, impose a penalty, e.g., they have to buy lunch for the whole office. 😂
I know this sounds like a harebrained idea but try it for two weeks and see — what do you have to lose? (If still unconvinced, please check out Cal Newport’s book, ‘Deep Work’.)
We underestimate how much better people can work when we don’t poke them every now and then.
It is time to let people do the work they were hired for.
– Rajan