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Context-switching – one of the worst productivity killers
- rTX5CMRXIfFG 3y agoArticle talks about context switching at the task level but it also happens at the code level in codebases with long inheritance hierarchies or responder chains, because then you keep swapping the code that's on display within your window or screen. Anyway, I was hoping to find a study that supports the idea that context-switching does negatively affect productivity, but there's none. I feel like someone must have studied that a long time ago. Does anyone know any references?
- tagyro 3y agoPeopleware - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peopleware:_Productive_Projects_and_Teams?wprov=sfti1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peopleware:_Productive_Project... - is a great example/source, strongly recommend to read it!
- mnky9800n 3y agoI second this book. I read it a few years ago and it completely changed how I interacted at work. I recommend it to everyone.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- gtirloni 3y agoMeetings are easy to solve compared to constant distractions from Slack/Teams/etc. Blocking time on your calendar does nothing to stop those.
- wetpaws 3y ago[dead]
- beezlewax 3y agoYou can close the software though right? Sign out
- mellutussa 3y agoSadly boss says I have to be signed in and interrupted constantly. I'd switch work if this wasn't just the status quo.
- mnky9800n 3y agoI have never worked in an environment like this. I'm sure there are jobs where you do not need to be always on slack.
- Moru 3y agoMy work used to be like this too, except Slack didn't exist yet so people used phones to call you. When I explained the problem to my boss, he told me not to answer the phone and set it to silent. Now most of the company use mail for uninterrupted messaging and everything runs much smoother and less bugs because I could concentrate on the job.
- rrr_oh_man 3y agoYou own your notifictions. Turn them off.
- gtirloni 3y agoIt's not so easy. People don't "own" their company's culture.
- nickdothutton 3y agoLike a deep sea diver, it can take an hour to get to working depth on some problem. It is extremely disruptive to receive some random interruption, when you are working “at depth”, like being instantly pulled to the surface. You are probably unable to get back down to depth that same day afterwards. Most people not doing the particular work that we know, have no idea it’s like this.
- alexchamberlain 3y agoLike learning, doesn't this depend on the person? I like to have a couple of things on the go, otherwise I can get bored focused on 1 thing - sometimes you just need a break to think things through, and often I do that by working on something completely different or simple.
- mellutussa 3y agoIt's entirely different when you decide solely yourself when to switch.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- Cilvic 3y agoOnly midly related, I'm thinking about building a desktop to to help with combatting context-switching as an dev/product person/knwoledge workers. If you've every longed for a tool to understand your context and assist you in staying within please share your ideas or get in touch.