Switching and distractions
Aside from defocusing, people often suffer from multitasking. The concept of multitasking works well in operating systems, allowing computers to work without freezing. However, for people, multitasking means "losses." Consider:
- If your attention is divided between 5 projects simultaneously, how much attention does each project receive?
- If your attention is divided between 5 tasks simultaneously, how much attention does each task receive? How much does the likelihood of making a mistake increase? How many costs are incurred by switching between tasks?
You can delve into these topics at the Systems Worlds Club.
In the book "Tame Your Work Flow" (alternative title - The Book of TameFlow), Steve Tendon, a developer of the post-Goldratt theory of constraints that can be applied to knowledge projects, provides the following data on the cost of switching during project implementation:
If a team is working on one project at the same time, they have 100% of their time available for the implementation of that project. Adding an additional project takes away 20% of the available working time. With 5 projects, most of the time the team is not working but switching!
Multitasking (handling multiple tasks simultaneously) is as harmful as handling multiple projects. Having multitasking means that the agent haphazardly opens new tasks, trying to optimize the "input" - the incoming flow of work, and practically not paying attention to the "output" (delivering work results). As a result, a list of tasks accumulates in the "In Progress" column, new tasks are taken on, old ones are lost, and then they are urgently completed heroically before the deadline.
Multitasking means chaos, loss of focus means chaos in the agent's - individual's or team's - activities. By eliminating chaos and transitioning to the sequential execution of tasks and projects, efforts and other resources can be focused on the most important at any given moment. Eliminating multitasking and handling multiple projects results in:
- Acceleration in task completion,
- Increased labor productivity without additional efforts (literally working less but on the most vital tasks, according to the Pareto principle),
- Reduced number of switches - excess cognitive burden is removed.
Fewer switches = greater labor productivity with no extra costs.
To achieve acceleration by doing less, it is also necessary to address distractions: internal and external. Initially, it is advisable to address external distractions: enable the "Focus" mode on the computer (available practically on every operating system) and on the phone, if necessary, install apps that interrupt the use of social networks, such as onesec for the phone or Minus.app for MacBooks. Then, allocate time for focused work: either perform it where you cannot be disturbed (for example, in a meeting room at work, a separate room at home), or train colleagues and family members to understand that certain periods are not to disturb you. Establishing a ritual for this purpose could be helpful: for example, a closed door or a red sticker/flag on the desk indicating that you should not be disturbed.
Once external distractions are tackled, internal distractions come into play. They often occur due to fatigue or simply lacking the resources to carry out complex work: more effort is needed than you can currently provide, so you start to be distracted. Therefore, if you notice that you are getting distracted a lot - determine whether this is due to resource constraints in the first place. If the answer is "yes," it is usually more beneficial to take a break or have a short pause rather than endlessly struggling with the task.
New thoughts that come to mind also become a cause of distractions. In such cases, quickly jot down the idea that comes to mind on your to-do list - then allocate time to process this information. This usually helps. Additionally, the Pomodoro technique can also be helpful, which will be discussed in the following sections.
If you find it challenging to maintain attention for several minutes, if you are constantly getting distracted, and if this issue cannot be resolved by managing your workload, consider consulting a neurologist or a specialist in attention disorders to rule out any physiological health problems.