No Interruptions Day
- Gail McShan-Elly
- Dec 31, 2025
- 3 min read
How Interruptions Kill Your Daily Focus in honor of No Interruptions Day
No Interruptions Day is typically observed on December 31, the last day of the calendar year. We have all been there. We are barreling along, working on a task, in a creative flow, and suddenly, the phone rings, one of the kids is screaming, or someone rings the doorbell. While we are at work, it’s an entirely different matter altogether. Let’s face it, interruptions are stressful and aggravating. What do interruptions do to your brain? When we are interrupted, we divert our attention from the primary task to address the thing that interrupted us in the first place. This can lead to decreased performance due to the time and cognitive effort required to refocus on the original task.
The Impact on Work Productivity
According to Microsoft’s 2025 work trend index report, workers are interrupted up to 275 times a day. 1 Between meetings, juggling emails, or receiving real-time messages every two minutes, this can amount to significant daily interruptions. These interruptions mean employees must spend more time at work to accommodate the time lost due to the interruptions. The same report showed that workers chatting outside the 9 to 5 workday window has increased by 15% year over year.
Since many companies employ people who work across different time zones, meetings are now happening around the clock. Meetings taking place after 8 pm have increased by 16% year over year, and 30% of meetings involve employees in different time zones.2 These interruptions can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. The report also found that 48% of employees and 52% of leaders claim their workload is chaotic and fragmented.
According to efficiency and workflow consultant Edward G. Brown, needless interruptions cost a company 6.2 hours a day.2 That’s 31 hours a week. It takes 23 minutes or more to refocus after an interruption, according to research from the University of California, Irvine, led by Gloria Mark.
How to Reduce Interruptions at Work?
It is nearly impossible to eliminate interruptions at work, nor is it practical. We know they can be time-consuming, expensive, and frustrating, but you can minimize interruptions by using some of the strategies below:
Prioritize which task to do first - to create a framework in which to do the job.
Schedule time blocks on your calendar - to allow time to get things done.
Work in a different location than your usual workstation - to keep folks from popping in for chats.
Turn off notifications on your smartphone or computer - to avoid the temptation to check email or social media. Implement a Do Not Disturb alert on your messages.
How to Reduce Interruptions at Home
Keep a log of when you get interrupted - to determine the main causes, whether it’s one of your kids needing something, a social media notification, a phone call, or an unexpected visitor who stops by
Track the time and type of interruption and how long it took you to get back on track - to help you understand the patterns and find ways to minimize them.
Find time to complete focused work – such as before the kids wake up, or midday when others are on their lunch break,
Set boundaries with family members - explain the importance of your time and create activities for your kids to do around this time.
Screen your calls and only check your phone at certain times - turn your phone face down so you won’t be distracted by visual notifications.
Interruptions are inevitable, but by implementing strategies to help minimize them, you can keep them from draining your time and energy and maximize your daily productivity.
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Gail McShan-Elly is a writer for hire specializing in health, careers, and financial empowerment. With a background in banking and communications, she works closely with businesses to provide digital marketing content. Contact her at mcshanellyg@yahoo.com.
