Interruptions and 'attention residue': the hidden cost of multitasking
Why does a day full of interruptions feel unproductive? Two research lines offer explanations.
Attention residue
Sophie Leroy (2009, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes) shows experimentally that when a task is left unfinished, attention lingers on it and harms performance on the next task.
The cost of interruptions
Gloria Mark, Daniela Gudith and Ulrich Klocke (2008, Proceedings of CHI) find interrupted people compensate by working faster, at the cost of more stress and frustration.
The nuance
Both are lab studies with short tasks; they indicate a plausible mechanism, not a measure of real workplace cost. (our executive and employee training programmes)
The limit of common practice
Rewarding constant responsiveness as engagement without counting its attentional cost.
A practical check in Neuchâtel
For three weeks, test two daily 90-minute slots without messaging and log important tasks completed; compare with the previous three weeks. To go further: explore the Time Management & Prioritisation training in Neuchâtel, or browse our executive and employee training programmes in Switzerland.
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