W- asked me if I could recommend any self-help books or tips on how to manage interruptions and get back on task. I thought it was funny because I’m usually the one who has problems staying on task. (Dishwasher partially full, laundry sitting in the washing machine, un-sipped tea, things like that…) =) Then again, I think I get fewer computer-based interruptions than he does.

I told him that David Allen’s book on Getting Things Done is popular among geeks who deal with frequent interruptions. The key ideas that help are to write down all the tasks in a trusted system, and not to switch tasks unless it’s really urgent and important.

He’s also checking out LeechBlock, a Firefox extension that makes it just a bit easier to focus on your real work instead of going to your favorite time-wasting sites. =)