Attention Residue: The Danger of Mindlessly Switching Tasks

When I was a kid, my mom encouraged my brother and I to take an interest in art. As an art therapist, my mom knew the many benefits of being creative. She also wanted to share her passion with us and help us be well-rounded.

One of the ways that my mother exposed us to art was through painting. Every now and then, we would cover the kitchen table with newspaper. Then, we would take out some paint, construction paper, and brushes, and we would have some fun.

While painting was an activity that I enjoyed, there was one aspect of it that always annoyed me. It was very difficult to keep your brush clean.

After you dipped your brush in one color, you had to be careful before you dipped it in the next one. Otherwise, the residue from one color would blend with the next one. If you did not clean the brush properly in between colors, you would quickly end up with a dirty, brown paintbrush.

Something similar can happen with your brain. When you move from one task or meeting to the next, you need to be careful. If you are not mindful about your transitions, your brain can end up like a dirty paintbrush.

Attention Residue

Many researchers have studied the impact of multitasking, which is when you try to perform multiple tasks at the same time. Business professor Sophie Leroy has studied the impact of performing multiple tasks sequentially.

In a 2009 paper, Dr. Leroy introduced a concept that she refers to as attention residue. According to this effect, when you switch from one task to another, some of your attention remains stuck with the original activity. This residue has a negative impact on subsequent performance.

Dr. Leroy has conducted a number of experiments to study this effect. In one experiment, participants started by working on a set of word puzzles. Some individuals in the study were allowed to finish before moving on to the next task. Other individuals were interrupted during the word puzzles and told they would be switching to an unrelated task: reviewing resumes and making hypothetical hiring decisions.

In between the puzzles and hiring decisions, participants were presented with another challenge to test the amount of attention residue left from the first task. Strings of letters were flashed on a screen. Subjects were asked to decide as quickly as possible if the letters made up a real word or a fake word. Dr. Leroy found that participants experiencing attention residue demonstrated poorer performance on this challenge. In addition, the stronger the residue they experienced, the worse they performed.

How can you minimize attention residue?

Attention residue is a common problem for people working in professional services and other intellectually demanding careers. Many people bounce from task to task (or meeting to meeting) all day long, without taking any breaks or thinking about transitions.

Repeatedly and mindlessly switching from one task or meeting to the next leads to an especially thick “residue.” This leads to unclear thinking, more stress and irritability, and significantly worse performance- especially as the day wears on.

No matter how complex and fast-paced your job is, there are ways to minimize your attention residue throughout each day. Follow these three steps:

1. Focus on one project at a time.

Your thinking will be clearest when you focus on one project for a longer period of time. As much as possible, arrange your day in a way that allows you to get into a rhythm on one project.

What you want to avoid at all costs is bouncing back and forth on multiple projects, all day long. That sort of approach leads to more attention residue, more stress, more irritability, and reduced performance.

2. Break down projects into short, clear tasks.

Focusing on one project at a time is not enough though. You also want to break down projects into clear tasks that can be completed in 60 minutes or less. This approach prevents you from getting overwhelmed, it gives you a sense of completion throughout the day, and it also minimizes attention residue.

3. Take short, deliberate breaks in between tasks.

You can still experience attention residue, even if you complete a task before moving on to the next one. In addition to breaking down your projects into clear tasks, be intentional with how you transition from one activity to the next. Taking short breaks throughout the day minimizes how much attention remains with the prior activity.

A strategic, energizing break is like cleaning off your paintbrush before you dip it in a new color. Take a few minutes to stand up, go for a short walk, drink some water, do some light stretching, etc. The goal is to give your mind a break before you dive into the next task. A short buffer is extremely valuable and not a waste of time. It helps you bring more focus and energy to your next activity.

Summary

Many people in professional services and other demanding careers lose lots of time and energy each day due to attention residue. Repeatedly and mindlessly switching from one task or meeting to the next leads to unclear thinking, more stress and irritability, and much lower performance- especially as the day wears on.

You can minimize attention residue by following these three steps:

1. Focus on one project at a time.
2. Break down projects into short, clear tasks.
3. Take short, deliberate breaks in between tasks.

Your brain is like a paintbrush. Keep it clean.