The attention residue problem

Summary

Switching tasks can leave a remainder of attention attached to the previous task. The residue makes it harder to bring full cognitive capacity to the next one.

Why it matters

It gives the archive a useful lens for evaluating productivity resources without turning every note into advice.

Key ideas

• A completed task can continue to occupy working attention.
• An unfinished or demanding task tends to leave a stronger residue.

Practical applications

Batch similar work and create a deliberate closing cue before changing contexts.

Open questions

How much does the effect change when the task switch is intentional rather than forced?