Context-switching is killing your firm’s productivity
Does it feel like you have too many ‘mental tabs’ open? Do you find yourself shifting from one task to a completely unrelated one, and back again?
You're not multitasking. You’re context-switching.
It’s the process of moving your attention from one task to another, stopping and starting again and again.
Think of context-switching like a game of Whac-a-Mole, where you move from one distraction to the next, trapped in a never-ending mental loop that can lower productivity by 80%.
A threat to productivity
The average professional checks their email 15 times per day, or once every 37 minutes. On top of that, they look at their phone 96 times per day—browsing social media, checking the news, and doomscrolling.
These interruptions are more harmful than you think. On average, it takes 23 minutes to return to a task after a single interruption.
A huge cause of context-switching are these distractions. Consider how many times your emails ping and your phone rings during a typical day running your accounting practice. Each time it happens, you’re shifting your focus, even if it’s for a few moments. And a few moments are enough to throw your focus completely.
You’re now distracted and need to claw your way back to focusing on the task you were originally completing. Chances are, by the time you get there, your phone will buzz again.
But there are strategies you can put in place to minimize this context-switching, and increase your productivity.
Recommended reading: Evaluating accounting firm productivity
Time-blocking
This involves pre-planning your days in increments or time blocks. They can vary in length, and they each have an assigned focus—meetings, email focus sessions, even meals.
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