To improve the quality of interruptions, avoid task switching and give them your full attention. By fully engaging with interruptions, you can effectively deal with them rather than trying to constantly push them away. Multitasking between different tasks or thoughts leads to a 'rope burn' effect, where you cannot adequately pay attention to both at the same time.
The 'New York Times' bestselling author and contrarian self-help writer Oliver Burkeman joins the show to talk about his new audio essay series on work, focus, and interruptions—and how, too often, our emphasis on eliminating distractions ironically takes us away from the most important things in life.
If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com.
Host: Derek Thompson
Guest: Oliver Burkeman
Producer: Devon Baroldi
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