4 ways to deal with chronic time wasters at work

4 ways to deal with chronic time wasters at work4 ways to deal with chronic time wasters at workIts clear that theres a difference between running into a coworker youre friendly with in the morning and quickly catching up here and there, and that colleague who regales you with every single one of their trials and tribulations each day.But whether its a coworker, a direct report, or even you doing the time-wasting, there are specific strategies you can use to cut down on it.Dont be afraid to address the person head-onYou dont have to be a victim.Dorie Clark, a marketing strategist and professional speaker who teaches at Duke Universitys Fuqua School of Business, writes about how to discuss this with the guilty colleague in the Harvard Business Review.Heres the script she recommends using Frank, youve suggested having in-person check-in meetings a few times now, and I wanted to ask you about that. My bias is typically to minimize meetings and try to get as much done on email as possibl e, but maybe you can tell me a little more about what information youre looking to share. Is there a way we can make it work for both of us?Dont get too caught up in what others think of youAuthor Gwen Moran features advice from time management expert and life coach Steve Chandler, author of Time Warrior in Fast Company.Chandler says the biggest time waster of all is trying to please people at the expense of your own productivity. Attending meetings you dont need to attend, taking phone calls you dont need to take, and fielding tasks that dont need to be done all in an effort to get people to like you can eat hours out of every day, he says. Learn how to say no graciously without worrying that someone wont like you, and youll reclaim large blocks of time, Moran writes.Too loud? Get those headphones outDoes your coworker make it especially tough to focus on your work?Jacqueline Smith features advice from Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of You Cant Be Seriou s Putting Humor to Work, in Business Insider.Again, this isnt a great permanent solution, but it can help. You dont want to be seen as being rude, but proactively explaining to people that you work best when you block out all the hintergrund noise can smooth any ruffled feathers, says Kerr. You may even implement a headphones etiquette rule, such as Dont disturb or interrupt people wearing headphones unless its absolutely critical, Smith writes.Managers, make sure youre crystal clearIt doesnt hurt to clear a few things up.An article in The Balance says team members need clear expectations.Once employees are hired, make sure that each of your team members knows specifically what they are supposed to do and how and when they are supposed to do it, the article says. Most importantly, each team member must understand why they do what they do. They need to know how what they do fits into the vision you are creating.