How Much Is That Interruption Really Costing?
Law offices run on interruptions. Some are necessary. Some are not.
Use this quick exercise to estimate how much time your team loses to preventable interruptions in a typical week.
Step 1: Count the Interruptions
In a typical day, how many times do staff members stop what they are doing to answer questions that could have been answered elsewhere?
☐ 0-5
☐ 6-10
☐ 11-20
☐ 21+
Step 2: Estimate Recovery Time
After each interruption, how long does it take the person to get fully back on task?
☐ 1 minute
☐ 3 minutes
☐ 5 minutes
☐ 10 minutes
Step 3: Do the Math
Number of interruptions per day: ______
× Recovery time in minutes: ______
= Minutes lost per day: ______
× 5 workdays
= Minutes lost per week: ______
÷ 60
= Hours lost per week: ______
Step 4: Find the Cause
What generates the most interruptions?
☐ Missing procedures
☐ Staff not trained on a process
☐ Attorneys asking for status updates
☐ Unclear responsibilities
☐ Information stored in too many places
☐ Technology problems
☐ Other: __________________
One Change to Try This Week
What is one interruption you could eliminate with a checklist, procedure, template, FAQ, or training session?
Closing Tip
The goal isn’t to eliminate interruptions. It’s to eliminate the predictable interruptions that happen over and over because information isn’t where people need it.