Where the term comes from
Borrowed from computing. In human work the reference study is Mark, Gudith and Klocke (2008), 'The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress'.
Why it matters
The finding is counterintuitive: interrupted work was completed faster, but participants reported higher stress, frustration, time pressure and effort. The cost is paid in strain rather than in elapsed minutes.
The common mistake
Quoting '23 minutes to refocus' with no source. The figure comes from Gloria Mark's research programme at UC Irvine and should be attributed.
What it looks like in practice
You are mid-way through a document, a message arrives, you answer it in ninety seconds and return. The ninety seconds is not the cost. The cost is the reload — and the finding is that you will likely still finish on time, but the work will have felt harder.
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Frequently asked questions
What is context switching?
Context switching is moving attention between unrelated tasks, which carries a measurable cost in stress, frustration and effort even when the work is still completed on time.
What's the most common mistake with context switching?
Quoting '23 minutes to refocus' with no source. The figure comes from Gloria Mark's research programme at UC Irvine and should be attributed.