Wellness Monthly: Interruption Awareness Improves Quality of Life

Research shows that it can take up to 25 minutes to fully resume work after an interruption in an office setting, with an average productivity loss of 12-13 minutes depending on task complexity and the type of distraction, whether it’s a colleague stopping by to ask a question, a phone call, email or online chat. Once work resumes, there may be “attention residue” while the interrupted person regains their train of thought.

A study on the Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress found test subjects completed interrupted tasks in less time with no difference in quality. However, they compensated for the interruptions by working faster. Pressure to produce is associated with sleep disturbances, exhaustion, stress-induced physical ailments such as headaches, stomach upsets and high blood pressure, mental health conditions including depression and anxiety, and increased risk for accidents, injuries and errors.