By using mindfulness and compartmentalizing priorities, you control how you react to distractions. But in many cases, we also have to work with other people. That’s where effective communication comes in.
When I asked my friend about how he dealt with his situation, he said the best solution came from communicating with his co-workers.
“I’m glad we have a really good team,” he told me. “We take shifts for each other and have each other’s backs. I’ve also worked in organizations with bad team dynamics in the past. There’s politicking and jealousy. That makes everything 10 times worse.”
It’s a matter of stepping in when people ask for help. Without making it look like you’re doing things out of obligation. So when you do the same, others will be happy to assist you.
Whether the people you work with are good or bad — you can only find out after communicating with them. If you’re working with a good team, as my friend did, then that’s great.
But if not, then it’s likely better to reconsider your working environment. This can mean trying to work with other groups of people, or changing departments if you’re in a large company. Or finding another employer.
Because your environment will really impact your work and life in the long run.