Combatting “Attention Residue” When Faced with Interruptions

Trendy work is rife with interruptions … from pressing consumer emails and calls to colleagues searching for enter. These interruptions fragment our time and a spotlight. Analysis printed in Harvard Enterprise Assessment by Professors Sophie Leroy and Theresa M. Glomb discovered that professionals are interrupted roughly each 6 to 12 minutes on common. Every interruption forces a psychological context swap that may go away a portion of our consideration nonetheless “caught” on the unique process, a phenomenon Leroy calls “consideration residue.”

In essence, consideration residue means a part of your thoughts continues to preoccupy itself with the earlier, unfinished process whilst you try to deal with the brand new one. This leftover consideration impairs efficiency. You’re utilizing solely a part of your cognitive capability on the present process which may result in missed particulars, poorer choices, and issue resuming the unique work. For folks juggling a number of issues and deadlines, consideration residue invisibly drains your effectiveness.

The Prepared-to-Resume Plan: A Easy Answer

Leroy and Glomb’s analysis supply a sensible intervention to fight consideration residue: the “Prepared-to-Resume” plan. I’ve all the time known as this, “Word the place you left off and what’s subsequent.” The “plan” is very simple and fast. When one thing or somebody interrupts you mid-task, take a second to jot down a quick word on the place you left off and what you plan to do subsequent on that process. Basically, you allow your self a street map for returning, a brief record of subsequent steps, challenges left to deal with, or the subsequent motion to take whenever you come again. This tiny funding of time offers cognitive closure, reassuring your mind that the preliminary process will probably be accomplished later, so it may safely set it apart for now. By explicitly marking your home and plan, you give your mind “permission” to completely disengage from Job A and focus on Job B.

Key Findings

Leroy and Glomb examined the ready-to-resume technique in a sequence of experiments related to high-stakes decision-making. Individuals in a single lab examine had been assigned an preliminary process after which interrupted with a secondary process. One group was instructed to shortly write a ready-to-resume word in regards to the preliminary process earlier than switching, whereas a management group switched duties with none such plan. The outcomes are putting and extremely related to the fixed pivoting that many people should do daily.

Diminished “Consideration Residue” and Higher Focus

Those that created a ready-to-resume plan confirmed considerably much less consideration residue in the course of the interrupting process. They might dedicate extra focus to the brand new process at hand, whereas the no-plan group’s efficiency on the interrupting process suffered (indicating their consideration was divided).

Improved Resolution High quality—79% Extra More likely to Make the Optimum Resolution

Those that had created a ready-to-resume plan for his or her unique process had been 79% extra prone to accurately select the highest candidate, which was the examine’s measure of the optimum determination, in comparison with those that didn’t plan.

Simpler Return to Unique Duties

Individuals who made a ready-to-resume plan had been way more prone to return to and efficiently end their unique process after the interruption.

Why this issues: A lot of our work typically includes managing a number of issues, deadlines, and unexpected consumer wants concurrently. The cognitive price of interruption (consideration residue) may be particularly detrimental the place particulars and sound judgment are paramount. The ready-to-resume approach straight addresses these points by preserving focus and continuity.

Suggestions

Pause and Plan (even for 30 seconds)

The second an interruption arises, take a quick pause to notice your standing on the present process. Write a one-line abstract of what you had been doing and the subsequent step you supposed to take. In case you are the particular person interrupting another person, give them the skilled courtesy and reminder to take the time they should word the place they left off and subsequent steps. In case you are the particular person getting interrupted, inform the interrupter you’re simply taking a fast second to notice the place you left off and subsequent steps.

Give Full Consideration to the Interruption

When you’ve made your ready-to-resume word, absolutely have interaction within the interrupting process.

Sources

Leroy, S. & Glomb, T. M. (2020). “A Plan for Managing (Fixed) Interruptions at Work.” Harvard Enterprise Assessment (June 30, 2020).

Leroy, S. & Glomb, T. M. (2018). “Job Interrupted: Inspecting the Results of Work Interruptions on Consideration and Efficiency” (Group Science).

Neilson, Okay. (2020). “The way to Fight Consideration Residue.” HRM On-line – Australian HR Institute.

Final up to date July twenty fifth, 2025