Work interruptions affect more than productivity

Work interruptions affect more than productivity


How long can you go without answering an email? Checking your phone? Opening a new tab?

When we’re at work, interruptions are common. Most of the time, we ease back into the rhythm of our previous task. Other times, we get sidetracked, which can affect our productivity and, it seems, our health.

New research from Switzerland found persistent interruptions lead to an increase in cortisol, a hormone responsible for regulating how the body responds to stress, typically released when the body engages in fight-or-flight mode.

In the study, participants were placed in make-believe office settings and exposed to different levels of stress. Each participant was given a list of tasks to complete, such as scheduling appointments with clients and digitizing handwritten documents.

Individuals were questioned at six intervals to gauge their mood. Throughout the day, portable devices measured their heartbeat as the researchers tracked cortisol levels in their saliva samples.

Stress was applied in two forms: the saliva test interruptions, and urgent messages from supervisors requesting information. Those who experienced stress from their bosses released almost double the stress hormone as the others.

Interestingly, those participants did not report feeling stressed, even though their cortisol levels from the saliva samples indicated otherwise. The researchers hypothesized that, while the interruptions spike stress hormones that negatively affect the body, they may also provide a brief mental break.

It may also be that we’re so conditioned to multitask as a way of life that we hardly notice it anymore. But our bodies certainly do.

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