Handling an unexpected interruption is a bit tricky. You need to be able to estimate how long you’ll be away from your work. I’d say that, in most cases, someone interrupts you to ask a quick question that has a quick answer. So you can go ahead and answer it.

But sometimes you’ll have to deal with a client request, be pulled away for a lengthy meeting, or realize that quick question doesn’t have a quick answer. As soon as you realize you’re going to be away for a while, you need to start preparing.

It’s perfectly okay to tell the person interrupting you that you just need a few minutes to finish things up. Sometimes when I do this, the person continues to stand over me, at which point I politely suggest that I’ll give them a call when I’m ready.

Not only does this allow you to get back into your work quickly, but you’ll also have a clear head to handle the interruption.