Reference: Sophie Leroy, 2009 paper "Why Is It So Hard To Do My Work?" - introduced the concept of attention residue.

Insights:

1. When you switch between tasks your attention does not immediately follow - some of it is stuck on the previous task.
2. Attention residue is stronger if the original task is unbounded and low intensity.
3. Attention residue lowers performance on subsequent tasks, the 'thicker' it is, the worse the performance.
4. Working in a state of semi-distraction can greatly undermine performance.

Principles:

1. Work on a single task for a long time, without switching to maximise performance.

Reference: Adam Grant: highest rated teacher at Wharton - batches all his teaching into 1 semester, turning to research in the spring and summer.

Insights:

1. Batching leverages the following law of productivity: High Quality Work = (Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus)

Definition: A state in which you are achieving your full human potential.

Example: A building with the goal of creating space for people to flourish through enabling them to do their deepest work.

Insights:

1. It is important to focus on tasks or skill acquisition, without distraction, in order to isolate neural circuits and trigger myelination.

Reference: Bluma Zeigarnik.

Insights:

1. Daily 'shutdown routines' can help remove outstanding tasks from our mind at the end of the day.
2. Simply stopping work at a particular time each day to be continued the following day can leave this unfinished work on our mind in the evenings.

Principles:

1. Capture all tasks in a list and review.