It’s summer, which means everyone is home. I’m working from my home office when my daughter walks in with a question about a craft she’s building, or my son needs help finding something, or my wife asks if I can handle a quick situation.
In the past, this would have derailed my entire day.
I used to have an office away from home, my retreat where I could work “uninterrupted.” But here’s the irony: I wasn’t always productive there. More often than not, I’d procrastinate. I had plenty of time but felt obligated to stay the full 8 hours because my employees were expected to work that long.
When COVID forced everyone home, I had to adapt. I’d like to say I adapted quickly, but it took me a few years to figure this out.
The old me would have responded to interruptions with visible frustration. I’d sigh, give short answers, and then spend hours trying to get back into flow state, sometimes not recovering until the next day. The interruption wasn’t just a 2-minute conversation; it became a spiral that cost me the rest of my productive time.
Now I’ve learned something crucial: How I respond to the interruption determines whether it ruins my day or just pauses it.
When my kids walk in now, I still feel that initial twinge of frustration; that’s normal. But I’ve trained myself to ask: “Am I choosing them or resenting them right now?”
If I choose them, I give full attention to their question, handle it completely, and then return to work. The transition back happens in minutes, not hours.
If I choose resentment, I give distracted, irritated responses that don’t actually solve their problem, meaning they’ll be back. Plus, I carry the frustration with me, making focused work nearly impossible.
The secret isn’t eliminating interruptions, it’s accepting that they’re part of working from home with a family and responding in a way that preserves both the relationship and your ability to refocus.
My productivity actually improved when I stopped fighting reality and started working with it.
What’s your typical response when family needs interrupt your work time?