We are used to thinking of interruptions as unexpected things. But interruptions can be planned, and these are just as disruptive as the other type. There have been days when I have been anticipating something that is on the schedule: a meeting, an errand, or even just quitting time. And every time that I start anticipating what is coming, I find that my productivity for the here-and-now is shattered. Why? Because I tell myself that I can't get anything done in the time left to me.

Focus is hard, particularly in a world where we are training ourselves to be distractable with the pings, pop-ups and interruptions. Today we will talk about 7 ways to regain your focus.

One of the challenges to staying focused is interruptions from others. Being pulled off task can result in anything from loss of train of thought to major interruptions that pull you off task for hours. Since we can't lock ourselves into a room to avoid distractions, we have to learn how to deal with them. Here are three strategies I use to deal with interruptions.

In February, we are going to be looking at interruptions. We'll look at what causes them, how to deal with them, and how to get back on track. To start the month out, though, I wanted to put forth an idea: Interruptions are a choice.