Switching between tasks requires mental effort and decreases productivity. Listening to music without lyrics allows you to focus better. Creating PowerPoint presentations is not a good use of specialists' time and decreases their productivity; they should delegate those tasks. Taking breaks between tasks and focusing on one task at a time improves productivity.

1. Switching
cost
Cognitively
demanding taskCognitively
demanding task
If you work in an open office
and try to block-out noise with music,
be selective with the playlist.
Your brain has scarce resources
available. Processing lyrics prompts
word associations and decreases
cognitive capacity.
4IMPROVE
WAYS TO
PRODUCTIVITY
AT WORK
No More Multitasking
No More Notifications
Multitasking is thinking you
are doing multiple tasks
at once. However, when
people ‘multitask’ they are
actually switching between
different incomplete tasks.
This requires more mental
effort and results in each
task taking longer
to complete (also known as
switching costs).
1
100%
2
No More Lyrics
10% 30%60%
40%
WHEN
MULTITASKING
AVERAGE
PRODUCTIVITY
DROPS
Answering
emails
3
4
Listen to music without lyrics
Use headphones with noise cancellation
No More PowerPoint
Specialists should do PowerPoint.
Employees who are non-designers
SHOULD NOT
no-more’s
Jim is creating high value
85% of his time
Specialization means
focusing on tasks where
you perform best
to return full
concentration
hour
It takes up to
So Jim can spend
more time on the
tasks that matter
I need a ONE dance
in my hand
Got the
One more time 'fore I go
More work
IS DONE
Productivity
is increased
15% of Jim’s
time is wasted
on making
PowerPoint
Productivity is value created divided by cost (or time). Reducing the time
spent on a task increases productivity (all else equal).
no-moreThis infographic was created by
no-more.dk
Sources:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-wise/201209/the-true-cost-multi-tasking
http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2015-28923-001
http://www.dancingastronaut.com/2015/05/music-improves-cognitive-function-productivity-heres/
http://www.samsung.com/uk/b2b/case-study/images/Samsung_Ultimate_Productivity_Infographic.jpg
https://dk.pinterest.com/efficient/productivity-infographics/
http://www.gethppy.com/internalcommunication/infographic-tall-tales-about-productivity
https://www.tabsite.com/blog/social-media-best-practices-for-infographics/
http://www.lifehack.org/309639/all-the-productivity-tips-you-need-9-info
VALUE CREATED
TIME (COST)
PRODUCTIVITY
Be selective
Ask yourself if the next notifications
are crucial or if they
can wait 45 minutes.
If they can wait, switch them off.
He also spends 15% of his time
creating subpar PowerPoint
presentations at an estimated
daily cost of:
$2800 x 15% = $420
10points
IQ drop when
distracted
Notifications prompt
task irrelevant thoughts
and increase
the completion time.
How many notifications
do you receive during
an average workday?
How many of those
notifications require
your immediate
attention?
Every e-mail, Twitter
or Slack notification
wants something
from you:
Your time
and attention.
Prioritize and complete one task at a time
Take a short break between tasks
Delegate low-importance tasks
Monotask
Meet Jim, a highly regarded
management consultant
and 15% Powerpoint designer.