Doomlearn
DE
Mind & EverydayFact

Quickly checking email costs more than the minute.

Sophie Leroy showed in 2009 that switching from an unfinished task to a new one leaves part of your attention stuck on the old one; she called it attention residue. People did measurably worse on the second task when the first was left incomplete. Even finishing helped only under time pressure: only then did the brain let go.

Useful: Before switching, write one sentence on where you'll pick the old task up.

Source: doi.org

AufmerksamkeitProduktivitaet

Difficulty:

Question on this card

According to Leroy, when did attention residue clear best?

  1. When the task was boring
  2. When the task was completed under time pressure
  3. When the task was left unfinished
  4. When the task was completed without time pressure
Show the answer

Correct: When the task was completed under time pressure

Unfinished tasks left residue; finishing without time pressure wasn't enough, finishing under time pressure let go.

Related cards

Keep reading

This card belongs to the topic Mind & Everyday. Every card is short, cites a source and can be saved – due ones come back by themselves later.

About Doomlearn · Projects · Legal notice · Privacy · Terms