Reference: Sophie Leroy, 2009 paper "Why Is It So Hard To Do My Work?" - introduced the concept of attention residue.
Insight: When you switch between tasks your attention does not immediately follow - some of it is stuck on the previous task.
Insight: Attention residue is stronger if the original task is unbounded and low intensity.
Insight: Attention residue lowers performance on subsequent tasks, the 'thicker' it is, the worse the performance.
Insight: Working in a state of semi-distraction can greatly undermine performance.
Principle: Work on a single task for a long time, without switching to maximise performance.
Insight: Batching leverages the following law of productivity: High Quality Work = (Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus)
Reference: Adam Grant: highest rated teacher at Wharton - batches all his teaching into 1 semester, turning to research in the spring and summer.
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.
Insight: It is important to focus on tasks or skill acquisition, without distraction, in order to isolate neural circuits and trigger myelination.
Reference: Bluma Zeigarnik.
Insight: Daily 'shutdown routines' can help remove outstanding tasks from our mind at the end of the day.
Insight: 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.
Principle: Capture all tasks in a list and review.
