How long is the average length of single-tasked focus at work? 

Microsoft did a study that showed as low as 8 seconds, and as high as 40 seconds.

8 SECONDS!

Sure, part of that is pings and dings and notifications from coworkers and email. But what this study proved is that we get in our own way a lot as well.

Not only are we unlocking our phone every 3–4 minutes (80x/day, and during COVID, I’ve read that it’s even up to 150x/day!) We’ve become so used to short bursts of dopamine when we check our social media or email that we let it influence our work habits.

So we multitask because it feels good to satisfy our inner cravings of dopamine. If we think of something we want to seek it out.

We’ve never been taught how to work, so most of us believe that multitasking is helpful. But what that looks like is: I start writing an email. It gets a bit challenging and my brain looks for something to feel good. So I open another tab to check my other email account. I see I got a note on a Google Doc so I open that up. While it’s loading, my brain needs another hit, so it reminds me I should check my bank account. Open that tab. But it’s loading too slow. NEED DOPAMINE. Open up Amazon because I just remembered we might need toilet paper. And now I’m buying toilet paper instead of writing that email.

UP TO 40 SECONDS OF FOCUS!

That’s pathetic, but it’s because our dopamine-seeking brain gets in our own way.

Multitasking is better known to researchers as “Continuous Partial Attention.”

It’s a phrase coined by Linda Stone, former Microsoft and Apple exec, now tech journalist.

We can increase our focus time by learning to monotask. One thing at a time. Put phones out of reach, out of sight.

And when our brain pushes the dopamine button: “check your bank account!” “Who was that actor in that thing we watched last night?” “Who liked my post?” Write it down on a post-it and stay on task.

Continuous partial attention is the enemy of deep work. And with a little support and structure, we can defeat it.

Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regular posts on Medium and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jake Kahana is a cofounder of Caveday. Sign up for his personal emails, called “The Email Refrigerator” here.