Dealing with interruptions is a constant struggle when you are attempting to get more accomplished with effective time management techniques.There are two factors to consider in attempting to cope:

In my posting on the Top Ten Distractions in the Office, dealing with telephone calls was a major issue, and I address this topic in all of my time management training seminars. When handling telephone calls, much of the focus is on 1) whether you should answer right now, and 2) how to schedule your day most efficiently to manage the calls you need to make.Going beyond this, how do you shorten or control the calls that you make and receive? Everyone has certain contacts who are more verbose than the situation warrants. Often they rehash past events that you have already discussed. While you do not want to be impolite, your work time is valuable and you need to accomplish as much as you can during the day so that you can leave the office at a reasonable time, maintaining a work life balance.To help control the time consumed with telephone calls, adapt some of these phrases when the situation fits:Making Calls:

Returning Calls:

The next time you find yourself “stuck” on the telephone, assess how you might have handled the situation differently for a quick resolution and ending of the call. Your day will be more productive.