Mastering the art of context switching

Context switching requires intentional effort to get under control.

• Why it matters: Frequent context switching results in reduced productivity and increased stress. It requires mental shifts that disrupt focus and flow, impacting not only your work but your team’s as well.

Here’s how to get context switching under control:

1. Set boundaries. Make your availability known and stick to it.
2. Implement “deep work” sessions. Schedule uninterrupted sessions for focused work. Block this time on your calendar.
3. Time block your schedule. Divide your day into dedicated blocks for different types of work based on when you’re most productive.
4. Prioritize ruthlessly. Get comfortable with saying no or discussing trade-offs to focus on the most important tasks.

The bottom line: When you feel like you or your team can’t actually get anything done, it’s time to make a change. Figure out which method(s) work best based on your company’s culture and stay the course.

Diving deeper

As an engineering leader, context switching is a constant challenge that shows up in multiple forms:

1. Mental fatigue: Frequent focus shifts make you tired, even if you haven’t accomplished much.
2. Decreased focus: It’s tough to stay centered on one task when constantly switching.
3. Prolonged task completion: Tasks take significantly longer due to being pulled in multiple directions.
4. Heightened stress: Mo context switching, mo stress. You’re probably stressed from the amount of work you’re trying to get done. Your success as a manager is measured by your team’s productivity**.** You can’t do all the work yourself; that’s why you have a team. Leverage them to deliver on what needs to get done while you focus on managerial and strategic tasks.

Start by identifying what’s causing the context switching.

• Understand why managing context switching is crucial yet difficult to get right. Seek out working patterns across your organization that contribute to increased context switching.
• Analyze your schedule. Look at your calendar and pinpoint when and why you’re switching tasks. Are there patterns or specific triggers?
• Evaluate team processes. Are there unnecessary meetings or inefficient communication channels that contribute to frequent interruptions?

Now, put these actions into practice to minimize context switching for your team.

• Set clear boundaries for your work time and encourage your team to do the same. Boundaries only work when you enforce them yourself, so stick to them.
• Schedule “deep work” sessions and time block your schedule to create a predictable routine. I block off time on my calendar with what it is I’m going to work on to make sure I have dedicated time to get something done.