Interrupted work gets done faster - and costs you stress
What they found
People finish interrupted work faster, not slower - they compensate by speeding up. The cost is hidden: more stress, higher frustration, time pressure and effort.
How they know
In a controlled experiment, office workers did tasks with and without interruptions while researchers measured completion time and, by survey, their stress and workload.
What it means for you
A "quick" interruption is not free just because the work still gets done. Protecting blocks of uninterrupted time buys you a calmer mind, not only faster output.
The limits
A lab simulation of office work with a modest sample; the exact costs vary by task and person.
This is a short takeaway in our own words, not a reproduction of the study. For the method, the sample and the caveats, read the original. Mind lives inside the Booking Minds app under the brain icon, where you can save and share each piece.