As I write this, I have 2 phone messages to return, 13 email messages open (and well over 1000 in my Inbox to eventually return), 16 Mozilla browser Tabs open and 7 programs on my computer open. Not surprisingly, my Google System Monitor Widget says that 93% of my CPU’s capacity is working (and working hard!).
Apparently, I am one of the many workers who is costing our economy $650 BILLION a year in lost productivity. Researchers have now found that no, I am not quicker and I cannot get more done just by having more open windows, programs and files at my disposal. In fact, they estimate that 28% of my time is “interrupted time,” meaning 28% of my time is spent getting back up to speed on whatever I just switched back to.
I’m going to have to rethink my entire way of working now. I’m bummed but also intrigued. If I could be 28% more effective, just think what else I could get done!
