A small interruption can create a large effect on your ability to accurately completing a task Something that takes only a few seconds, such as silencing your cell phone, can double your chances of making a mistake when trying to complete a task.
A new study which had 300 subjects had them perform a sequence-based procedure on a computer; found that interruptions of about three seconds doubled the error rate.
Small interruptions such as a ringing cell phone, text messages or work colleague poking his head in the door can cause errors that can be devastating for professionals such as airplane mechanics, emergency room doctors or other people who are in a profession where people depend on them for their safety.
Our health and safety is on the line when people looking after it are interrupted. The new study which was funded by the U.S. Navy Office and Naval Research is one of the first to examine brief interruptions of relatively difficult tasks.
Study participants were given tasks that were somewhat difficult such as identifying with a keystroke whether a letter was closer to the beginning or end of the alphabet. Without interruptions, a small number of errors were made.
After the participants had been interrupted and then told their task and were twice as likely to make a mistake in the sequence.
One researcher said that he was quite surprised that such short interruptions- as little as 2.8 seconds- could have such a large effect. The reasoning is believed to be because the participants had to shift their attention from one task to another. Even momentary interruptions can seem jarring when they occur during a process that takes considerable thought.
The solution is quite simple. Create an environment, especially when errors would be costly, that protects against interruptions. Send your calls on your business line to voice mail, put a “do-not-disturb” sign on your door or, at the very least, turn off your cell phone.
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