Reader Dan, who spends his days in a cubicle, can't get any work done—too many interruptions!

I've tried putting foam box inserts in the doorway, but people just wander by and ask, "What's going on here?" I've tried working from home, but my manager won't allow me to do it regularly. How do you manage and prevent interruptions without being mean to the interrupter?

Here's how David Allen does it. As for me, because I'm sequestered in my basement, my only interruptions come from my pesky loving family. But I'll bet those of you who work in cubes have some great tips to share with Dan. Put 'em in the comments, of course.