The cell phone is buzzing, your office phone ringing, and eight emails just arrived. As soon as you finish handling these, it starts all over again. And we wonder why we can't come up with that big idea, or write that report, or finish that project.

Recently, a psychiatrist at King's College London University checked the IQ of workers throughout the day. He discovered that the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell by as much as 10 points. Distractions not only steal our time, but rob us of valuable intelligence.

So, how do we regain a bit of focus in our day? Here are a few ideas.

Find your best time

My best time for good thinking is in the morning, but I know others that perk up at night. Find the time of day when your mind is sharpest, and try to do work that needs strong focus during that time.

Limit distractions

Close your email client, turn of your cell phone, and shut of your IM client. Most office phones can be set to "do not disturb." If you have an assistant, have them hold calls and take messages. Sure, you can't lock yourself all day, but can you do it for an hour or two? 

Go away

If you have the flexibility to do so, get out of the office for an hour or two. There's a cafe near our offices that has good coffee and free wireless internet. When I need to crank out an article or think up a strategy, I'll get up early, find a table and work for an hour or so. Every time I do, I'm amazed at how much I get done in that short time.

Bottom line: Need to think clearly? Find your best time of day and shut off distractions. You'll not only feel smarter, you'll work smarter.