Stop the distractions

Anyone that says they are great at multitasking is lying … all the research (like this) on “interruption science” shows the human brain is most efficient when dealing with a single task. Several articles show as much as 15-25 minutes for the brain to get back to optimal focus on a complex task after even a simple interruption! Wow!!

Even though I sometimes go into denial about this, I can’t avoid the fact it’s true. A recent example was a little coding project I’ve been trying to get finished for months. I eventually sat down and ignored all other distractions and got it finished in an afternoon.

The problem, as Jason points out, is that computers just make it too easy to get distracted: Instant Messenger, email clients checking every 20 minutes, RSS feeds, news tickers, even writing blog posts, the list just goes on and on.

Well I shall do my best to stay focused and stop looking for distractions rather than getting on with real work, just after I check the forums….