Handling Interruptions

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Is it just me, or does anyone else get very annoyed when you're in the middle of something and somebody interrupts you? Somehow, I figured people on this forum would get it.

Creative people have a term for that state of being where you're so engrossed in what you're doing that you lose track of time and aren't really as aware of things around you. They call it "flow." I find myself snapping at people when they interrupt my flow, even though I know my reaction isn't logical and that interrupting is not their intention. They don't always get it. I get over my annoyance quickly, but in that second or two, I often forget to take a deep breath and sound polite.

I try to say things to myself like, "Cool, someone wants to talk to me," or "Oh, maybe I can help someone." Any other advice to nip the annoyance in the bud?

Oh, I get very annoyed when people disrupt my flow. I am nasty when people interrupt me, sometimes people get upset with me. It will always be annoying, but I try to be more patience, though when there is too much sensory stimulus around me, that is rather impossible, so I try to explain that.

Now I try to say "1 minute", "hang on", "hold that thought", "let me just finish this", "wait", then I finish what I was thinking / doing, and then face that person again, "Right, sorry, if I didn't write/do this I would have forgotten. What were you saying?"

Yes, that makes sense. The problem is my tone of voice. I'm not great at hiding that first moment of annoyance. I have to really remember to let it go in that moment. I'm trying to think positively, even in that moment of irritation, so that the feeling will pass as quickly as possible.

My dad and I watch an episode of a TV show every night, on Sundays it's the new episode of The Walking Dead or Fear The Walking Dead if a season of that is going on and lately the one we have been watching Daredevil on other days (and Daredevil has the most overrated super power of all time, he has hearing sensitive enough to pick up a heart beat form across a room and make it out to be much more useful and less insanity inducing then it actually would be). When my dad gets me to watch one of these things I am almost always doing something at the time, and even though I want to watch the episode I have a really hard time stopping what I am doing. I get very annoyed by it, sometimes my dad starts the episode without me (unless it's actually on TV in which case it does that it's self) and I have to tear myself away forcefully, it's quite hard. I also often stay up late because I don't want to stop what I am doing to go to bed. It is a bit of a problem for me.

All right! I got interrupted a bunch of times, and I didn't snap at anyone it seems like because I posted this thread, I keep thinking about it and so I remember to breathe and let go. When something really causes me anxiety though, I can't just let go like that.

It's interesting that you mentioned booking time just to watch TV with a partner/family member. Are you doing that to avoid being interrupted? Is it because you want routine, or is it because they'll do stuff without you?

I'm actually hearing that more and more, people have to book appointments with their friends and family. Even phone calls sometimes. It seems that they do it because the alternative is to always be busy and let their friends and family pass them by. That seems to be the big thing now, booking time on your calendar for everything, even scheduling free time. Is this overkill, or is it just a way not to interrupt people's busy schedules?

Hi Mikeman7918,

That's interesting, I wonder what causes that unusually high need for routine. Also interesting how you can still enjoy spontaneity, even if you crave that much routine. Thanks for sharing

P.S. I've always needed a lot of sleep. It's amazing to me how many people get by on so little every night.

That makes sense, bringing order to a chaotic world. If you prepare, weigh pros/cons, and then choose to change your own routine, does that help?