Context switching explained
When you switch, your brain has to drop one set of goals and rules and load another. Research by Rubinstein, Meyer and Evans (2001) found that people lose time on every switch, and more so on complex or unfamiliar tasks.
The American Psychological Association notes Meyer's estimate that these brief mental blocks can cost as much as 40 percent of someone's productive time. Treat that as an upper bound for heavy switching, not an average.
Try it today
- Notice how often you switch apps in one hour.
- Batch similar tasks so you switch less often.
- Finish or park a task with a note before you move to the next one.
Frequently asked questions
- What is context switching?
- Context switching is moving your attention from one task to another. Each switch has a small cost in time and accuracy, and the costs add up when you switch often.
- How do I start with context switching?
- Notice how often you switch apps in one hour. Batch similar tasks so you switch less often. Finish or park a task with a note before you move to the next one.
- Which tools help with context switching?
- Tools in our directory that help include Raycast, Freedom, Momentum, Superlist. Each has its own page with pricing, pros and cons.