I've recently moved into a shared office and I'm struggling with constant interruptions from coworkers. Even when I wear headphones, people tap me on the shoulder or try to get my attention. It's affecting my productivity, and I don't want to come off as rude. Any suggestions?
That sounds frustrating. It's hard to balance being approachable with needing focus time.
In our open-plan office, this was a huge issue. Headphones weren't enough, and "do not disturb" signs didn't really help. We started using the Luxafor Cube focus indicator (https://luxafor.com/product/cube/) to visually show when someone is busy. It uses a simple color system everyone quickly understood—red means don't interrupt, green means you're available. Having that visual signal changed how people approached each other, and interruptions dropped noticeably. It's not just about the gadget, but about setting a respectful culture around focus time. Honestly, this small investment paid off in better team dynamics and deeper concentration blocks.