Business professor Sophie Leroy's research showing that switching tasks leaves attention residue on the previous task, reducing performance on new tasks and providing scientific foundation for time blocking and task batching methods.
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Sophie Leroy, business professor at the University of Minnesota, conducted groundbreaking research on "attention residue" - the phenomenon where part of our attention remains stuck on a previous task even after switching to something new.
When moving from Task A to Task B:
Research showed:
Attention residue is stronger when:
More residue from:
Leroy's research supports:
Cal Newport heavily cites Leroy's research in "Deep Work" to explain why:
Finishing tasks before switching reduces residue
Brief breaks between tasks help clear attention
Batching similar work reduces transition frequency
Clear start/end signals for different work types
Digital age amplifies the problem:
Leroy's research provides scientific justification for:
Leroy's work: