I think (and write) a lot about fielding outside requests on a daily basis. It’s an interesting problem I see every single day. It boils down to…
Should you respond to requests as they arise?
Or…
Should you plan your day around your goals and stick to it?
I figured I’d answer it in the “It depends” way a little differently this time…
Consider the talk show host…
I’m talking about the guy that spends all morning (4 hours or more) on the radio. He or she can be talking about news, answering listener calls, or otherwise. The point is, though – that he has an obligation to be somewhere and do something (albeit publicly) during those hours.
This type of role favors the “plan your day without distractions” approach. But it made me think about the expectations that others would put on the host when they’re off the air. A typical eight-hour day would suggest that he or she only has a few excess hours to fix any issues, review metrics, and plan for the next day’s schedule.
This host not only cannot allow incoming calls or emails to distract them while they’re on the air, but I’ll bet that they also don’t set the expectations with anyone that they will be available when they’re off the air.
No matter what, this host needs to be well-organized and very good at time management. Perhaps you can learn something from him or her.