Combatting “Attention Residue” When Faced with Interruptions

Modern work is rife with interruptions … from urgent client emails and calls to colleagues seeking input. These interruptions fragment our time and attention. Research published in Harvard Business Review by Professors Sophie Leroy and Theresa M. Glomb found that professionals are interrupted roughly every 6 to 12 minutes on average. Each interruption forces a mental context switch that can leave a portion of our attention still “stuck” on the original task, a phenomenon Leroy calls “attention residue.”

In essence, attention residue means part of your mind continues to preoccupy itself with the previous, unfinished task even as you attempt to focus on the new one. This leftover attention impairs performance. You’re using only part of your cognitive capacity on the current task which can lead to missed details, poorer decisions, and difficulty resuming the original work. For people juggling multiple matters and deadlines, attention residue invisibly drains your effectiveness.

The Ready-to-Resume Plan: A Simple Solution

Leroy and Glomb’s research offer a practical intervention to combat attention residue: the “Ready-to-Resume” plan. I have always called this, “Note where you left off and what’s next.” The “plan” is extremely simple and quick. When something or someone interrupts you mid-task, take a moment to jot down a brief note on where you left off and what you intend to do next on that task. Essentially, you leave yourself a road map for returning, a short list of next steps, challenges left to address, or the next action to take when you come back. This tiny investment of time provides cognitive closure, reassuring your brain that the initial task will be completed later, so it can safely set it aside for now. By explicitly marking your place and plan, you give your brain “permission” to fully disengage from Task A and concentrate on Task B.

Key Findings

Leroy and Glomb tested the ready-to-resume strategy in a series of experiments relevant to high-stakes decision-making. Participants in one lab study were assigned an initial task and then interrupted with a secondary task. One group was instructed to quickly write a ready-to-resume note about the initial task before switching, while a control group switched tasks without any such plan. The results are striking and highly relevant to the constant pivoting that many of us must do every day.

Reduced “Attention Residue” and Better Focus

Those who created a ready-to-resume plan showed significantly less attention residue during the interrupting task. They could devote more focus to the new task at hand, whereas the no-plan group’s performance on the interrupting task suffered (indicating their attention was divided).

Improved Decision Quality—79% More Likely to Make the Optimal Decision

Those who had created a ready-to-resume plan for their original task were 79% more likely to correctly choose the top candidate, which was the study’s measure of the optimal decision, compared to those who did not plan.

Easier Return to Original Tasks

Participants who made a ready-to-resume plan were far more likely to return to and successfully finish their original task after the interruption.

Why this matters: Much of our work often involves managing multiple matters, deadlines, and unforeseen client needs simultaneously. The cognitive cost of interruption (attention residue) can be especially detrimental where details and sound judgment are paramount. The ready-to-resume technique directly addresses these issues by preserving focus and continuity.

Recommendations Pause and Plan (even for 30 seconds)

The moment an interruption arises, take a brief pause to note your status on the current task. Write a one-line summary of what you were doing and the next step you intended to take. If you are the person interrupting someone else, give them the professional courtesy and reminder to take the time they need to note where they left off and next steps. If you are the person getting interrupted, tell the interrupter you are just taking a quick moment to note where you left off and next steps.

Give Full Attention to the Interruption

Once you’ve made your ready-to-resume note, fully engage in the interrupting task.

Sources

Leroy, S. & Glomb, T. M. (2020). “A Plan for Managing (Constant) Interruptions at Work.” Harvard Business Review (June 30, 2020).

Leroy, S. & Glomb, T. M. (2018). “Task Interrupted: Examining the Effects of Work Interruptions on Attention and Performance” (Organization Science).

Neilson, K. (2020). “How to Combat Attention Residue.” HRM Online – Australian HR Institute.

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