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Tag Archives: work distraction

Heavy multitaskers make poor multitaskers

By Ricki Sharpe | Published: September 19, 2009

Those who multitask the most are the ones who are worst at it. That’s the conclusion of researchers at Stanford University, who found multitaskers are more easily distracted and less able to ignore irrelevant information than people who do less multitasking.

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Multitasking by appointment

By Ricki Sharpe | Published: September 16, 2008

Previous research has indicated how dangerous and inefficient multitasking can be. However, a new brain imaging study led by a neuroscientist at the University of New Hampshire finds that there are optimal times when we are better suited to multitask.

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Shut-up and listen

By Ricki Sharpe | Published: June 4, 2008

As much as we might like to tell a back-seat driver to shut up, it seems that it is safer to listen to them than to talk to them. Recent research provides a better understanding of why language, talking and listening, including on a cell phone, interferes with visual tasks, such as driving.

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Who slows you down at work?

By Ricki Sharpe | Published: February 27, 2008

You may not be aware of it – they might not be aware of it, but the people in your work environment might be slowing you down. Your managers may put it down to simple distraction, but that is not the full story. New research reveals that our bodies try to mimic what others are doing. If others are doing something different, then it interferes with what we are doing.

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Time is of the essence

By Ricki Sharpe | Published: August 15, 2007

In an increasingly competitive business environment, organisations have sought to increase productivity and reduce costs. The consequences of this for many employees include increased workloads, longer working hours and greater time pressures which, the evidence suggests, are linked to stress, high rates of absence and turnover. In pursuit of these demands, it has been argued that individuals must work smarter rather than harder and that individuals need to develop the ability to manage their time effectively to achieve this.

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