Did you know your IQ drops when you’re distracted?

In 80 clinical trials, Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King’s College London University, found the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell by 10 points — the equivalent to missing a whole night’s sleep, and more than double the 4-point fall seen after smoking pot.

So if you’re constantly interrupted while writing something important, watch out — your end result will be AS IF it was written by someone about 10% dumber. Not a good look.

Here’s how some companies around the world minimise distractions. Some rely on setting up guidelines and getting agreement in advance (including agreeing not to use the method 10 hours a day!).

Technology

• Turn off phones; let callers leave messages. Explain in your voicemail message that you’ll get back to them by X time.
• Turn off email, or at least the audible and visible notifications of new emails. (To do that, follow the instructions here)
• Set up an email autoresponder that reassures senders you got their email, and will respond by X time.

People

• Give all staff a sign they can display when they don’t want to be interrupted (e.g. “Please don’t disturb”), or a red “thinking” cap that, if worn, shows they’re trying to focus.
• Tell team members they’re not to interrupt anyone wearing earphones (e.g. iPods).
• Ask your team not to interrupt you for a certain period every day, say, from 8-9 a.m.
• Go into work early, stay late, or work from home or a café.

You

• Unclutter your desk so you’re not tempted to start multitasking.
• Close distracting apps, like Facebook and Twitter.
• Set mini goals and rewards, e.g. to write at least a page before stopping for a coffee.

More?

What works for you? Please share your wisdom with the rest of us in the comments below. We’d love to be distracted by it…