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The Siren Song of Multitasking
Writes Mark, “This suggests a fairly high cognitive cost to resume work, as people are distracted by multiple other topics, and sometimes even nested interruptions. Our informants report that this can result in redundant work as they reorient.” Mark acknowledges that interruptions are often relevant to the work at hand, but notes that “reorientation” to the task comes at a cognitive cost. A report from Basex quantified the cost of interruptions. It found that the average knowledge worker loses 2.1 hours per day to “unimportant interruptions or distractions.”
Quite simply, people need the mental and physical space to think. In fact, the number-one predictor of job performance and satisfaction is the ability to concentrate in one’s own workplace. While work environments that include places for quiet, uninterrupted work as well as collaborative work can help a worker fight the urge to multitask, a worker’s ability to concentrate comes in part from being determined to concentrate.
via: The “multitasking” delusion
Related: Five Pragmatic Practices - Curious Cat management articles - Why Projects Take so Long - psychology related management posts
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September 12th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Great information in your blog! I like the way you gave tangible numbers to the loss in productivity. If we add dollars to your example, it becomes quite staggering. If an employee is paid $50,000 per year, two hours of wasted time per day equates to $256 per week. If employers don’t create work environments or adopt cultural practices that encourage employees to focus, they are losing HUGE amounts of money!
September 19th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Working at home allows me some time to concentrate and focus with fewer interruptions (and ones easier to ignore if I really need to focus)…
April 5th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
my experience leads me to believe the difference between exceptional software developers and average (not even below average) is very high…
August 31st, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Here is another article on the lower productivity multitasking produces - Multitasking Madness Decreases Productivity…
September 19th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
At times “an asymmetric brain is clearly a disadvantage. The two scientists believe that the tipping point between these pros and cons comes when an animal has to perform difficult mental tasks.”