Here's scientific proof of something you've ALWAYS suspected: Your coworkers are making you DUMBER. And it happens every single time they talk to you about the weather, your big weekend plans, and what happened on "The Voice".
According to a study out of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, every time your coworkers talk to you and distract you, you immediately become 20% STUPIDER.
Not permanently, of course, or you'd be a drooling, sputtering pile of Jell-O by now. But as long as you're distracted, you're dumber.
A separate study found the average officer worker only gets 11 minutes of work done between interruptions . . . and it can take almost half an hour to fully focus again after you're interrupted.
Based on that math, you may NEVER be able to get back to a place of full productivity. At least I think that's the math. I'm at least 20% dumber right now.
The researchers at Carnegie Mellon DID find the best defense. If you tell yourself you're DEFINITELY going to be interrupted at any moment, it actually helps you focus and improves your productivity.
