Doing lots of things in a short amount of time (without necessarily finishing them) might make you feel more productive, but in reality, it makes you dramatically less productive. This is because there is a significant cost to switching tasks.
What is task-switching cost?
Task-switching cost refers to a decrease in performance that occurs when you switch from one task to another. The cost is typically measured in terms of the time increase to complete the task and/or decreased accuracy once the task has begun.
When switching tasks, you can experience an increased reaction time: a delay before you can settle into the new task. It takes time for your brain to reconfigure itself from the rules and flow of one task to those of another.
Along with wasting time, switching tasks can increase the errors you make after switching. This is because your brain is still trying to function under the rules of the previous task. The more different the tasks are, the more extreme this loss of accuracy will be.
Switching tasks also increases your cognitive load, because your brain needs to remix its flow into a different task, making it work harder than if you let it work on one thing for a longer time.
Task-switching costs more than it pays, so you might want to adjust how and when you swap projects.
What are examples of switching costs?
In an office, you can experience workplace switching costs by attempting to multitask. Pausing your deep work to answer emails is a common example.
For students, switching between subjects of study can lower the effectiveness than if they stuck with one. Listening and note-taking are also two different tasks, which is why some students prefer to record lectures, pay attention during, then listen back later to take notes.
Language switching: My best friend is bilingual, and when he switches between English and Spanish, he often swaps the grammar and vocabulary.
At home, you might be Marie Kondoing–if you stop sorting your books before you’re finished to start going through your clothes, you’ll lengthen the time it takes for both tasks.
How to Quantify Switching Costs
If we want to optimize our task switching, it’s good to have an idea of where we’re losing efficiency. Here are a few ways you can measure it yourself.
1. Reaction time measurement
You can time how long you spend on a task, both focused on it and switching from another, to see how much your reaction time slows you down.
For example, if you have a report you write regularly, time yourself writing it straight through, then next time you can bounce between tasks at will, starting and pausing your timer when you are working on the report. Compare the numbers to see how much time you’re losing through switching costs.
2. Accuracy
Track how many mistakes and redos happen in a task. You can do this in a similar way to measuring reaction time: Count the mistakes in a common task once while focused on it, then again while switching between tasks.
3. Productivity metrics
In some cases, you can measure your output for task switching. How many of X do you get done when you’re focused on only that, versus when you’re bouncing around?
Measuring task switching costs can be unique and somewhat difficult, but one of the above examples should be able to fit most cases.
How to Lessen Switching Costs
Maybe you see now that switching costs are a huge problem for you. How can we fix it?
1. Minimize switching
The simplest answer is to minimize switching. Work on one thing with no distractions for longer periods of time. The less you switch, the lower the costs. Of course, it’s impossible to NEVER switch tasks, but doing so intentionally and less often can minimize your switching costs.
2. Know it’s coming
Following the whims of tasks that sound appealing with no real roadmap will waste the most time. If you must switch, plan ahead. This could look like having separate to-do lists for different tasks, block scheduling your day to know when and what you’ll switch, or strategically pairing tasks to switch back and forth between (if you’re the type of person that works best with variety).
3. Similarity of tasks
Sometimes we have to switch tasks rapidly, simply because there are so many tiny tasks. To reduce switching costs here, group similar tasks together, like you would with time blocking, and perform them one after the other.
4. Preparation
Preparation can help reduce switching costs by lowering the confusion between tasks. For example, if you have two projects you’re working on, both equally important, both with similar deadlines, you might want to switch between them. To make this more effective, you could keep a to-do list for each project. That way, you know immediately what you’re working on next when you switch projects.
5. Work environment optimization
A focused, clear work environment can greatly reduce your switching costs. With an organized office, desk, and/or computer desktop, you’ll have an easier time orienting yourself into a new task. You could even set up separate work environments for each, like sorting separate projects into their own desktop with the relevant tools and shortcuts.
Key Points
Task-switching costs are the losses of productivity via time waste and inaccuracy accumulation when swapping from one task to another.
You can lessen your switching costs by minimizing the switching itself, preparing, and optimizing your work environment.
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