Ever noticed how your best ideas come in the shower? Or how you suddenly solve that tricky problem while walking the dog? There’s a reason for that. When our brains get a break from the constant ping of notifications, they finally have space to actually think. Yet most of us spend our workdays bouncing between alerts like we’re playing professional pinball.

 

Here’s a sobering thought: Microsoft research shows that during core work hours, the average time between interruptions – whether from meetings, emails, or messages – is just two minutes. Two minutes! That’s barely enough time to read this paragraph before something else demands your attention. With 117 emails and 153 Teams messages hitting the average worker each day, it’s a wonder we get anything meaningful done.

 

But here’s the thing – this isn’t about technology being bad. It’s about us forgetting that we’re allowed to control it, rather than letting it control us.

 

The Myth of Instant Response

Somewhere along the line, many of us have convinced ourselves that being professional means being instantly available. But think about it – how many genuine emergencies have you dealt with this month? Unless you’re in emergency services, the answer is probably zero. Most “urgent” messages are just someone else’s bad planning dressed up in exclamation marks.

 

The real cost isn’t just the interruption itself. When you’re being interrupted every two minutes, you never actually get into what experts call “deep work” – that focused state where real problem-solving happens. You’re constantly in reaction mode, dealing with the latest ping rather than making progress on what actually matters.

 

Creating Your Communication Boundaries

Setting boundaries doesn’t mean becoming that colleague nobody can reach. It means being thoughtfully available rather than constantly reactive. Start by establishing your “communication windows” – specific times when you’re fully available for messages and meetings.

 

Try This: Tomorrow morning, don’t check any messages for the first hour of work. Instead, tackle your most important task while your brain is fresh and alert. Then check messages all at once. You might be amazed at how few actually needed an immediate response.

 

The Power of the Pause

Here’s something liberating – you don’t have to respond to everything immediately. In fact, pausing before responding often leads to a better result. That emotional email? Leave it in drafts for an hour. That meeting request for something you could handle via email? Take time to suggest an alternative.

 

Creating what some call a “response lag” helps train people to be more thoughtful about when they contact you. If colleagues know you check messages at set times, they’ll start to batch their questions rather than firing them off one by one.

 

Managing Digital Overload Without Going Off-Grid

You don’t need to become a digital hermit to reclaim your focus! Small changes can make a massive difference:

• Turn off all desktop notifications except for calendar reminders
• Use your phone’s “focus modes” during deep work time
• Set up an auto-response explaining when you check messages
• If you use Slack or other instant messaging services, create separate channels for truly urgent communications

 

Pro Tip: Put your phone in a drawer during focused work time. Not on silent, not face-down – actually out of sight. The mere presence of your phone, even when off, can reduce brain performance.

 

Making It Stick

The beauty of setting communication boundaries is that once people adjust, they often thank you for it. Your ‘considered’ responses are more helpful than rushed reactions. Your focused work produces better results. And perhaps most importantly, you help set the model for a healthier way of working that will encourage others to do the same.

 

Start small – pick one boundary this week and stick to it. Maybe it’s not checking emails before 10am, or having notification-free lunch breaks. Whatever you choose, remember that being constantly available doesn’t make you indispensable. Doing excellent work does.