The Sign On My Door That Helped Me Focus

Before COVID, when a package was delivered to my apartment, I would get it immediately. The doorbell rings, and whatever I’m in the middle of is paused. Throw on my shoes, run down the 20 steps, and rush back to open whatever’s in the box.

During COVID, I learned that I could batch my trips. Any time the doorbell rings, I stop what I’m doing and rush over to the intercom. “You can leave it down there, thanks.” I would say, returning to my work and trying to find my place. I could do that two or three times a day and as a little afternoon ritual, would collect my bounty downstairs.

But lately, I figured out a new hack. I wrote a sign on the door “Please leave packages at the door.”

No buzzes. No interruptions. And I still get all my packages at the end of the day. It protects my focus and puts me in control of when I get my stuff.

Yes, this story is true. But it’s also an apt analogy.

Every time you get a Slack, Email, DM, text, or comment, someone’s ringing your doorbell. Every time an app tells you there’s new content, you need to update, we miss you, or someone posted after a long time… they’re ringing your doorbell. Are you stopping your work to rush down the stairs and get the package right away?

Or could you leave a note on the door, disable your doorbell, and make a habit of checking when you were available.

It’s your door. You’re in control.

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Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regularly and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jake Kahana is a cofounder of Caveday. Sign up for his personal emails, called “The Email Refrigerator” here.