Slightly Off KIlter

Normal is overrated

Distractions Lower IQ Scores (Duh)

LONDON, England — Workers distracted by phone calls, e-mails and
text messages suffer a greater loss of IQ than a person smoking
marijuana, a British study shows.


E-mails ‘hurt IQ more than pot’ — CNN.com World News, Friday, April 22



CNN certainly picked a provocative title.



The constant interruptions reduce productivity and leave people
feeling tired and lethargic, according to a survey carried out by TNS
Research and commissioned by Hewlett Packard.


The survey of 1,100 Britons showed:


  • Almost two out three people check their electronic messages out of
    office hours and when on holiday


  • Half of all workers respond to an e-mail within 60 minutes of receiving one


  • One in five will break off from a business or social engagement to
    respond to a message.



What, exactly, is “new” here?



Workers used to check their phone messages back in the days before email was popular. 60 minutes for email? People answer a phone call within half a minute of receiving it (now that really breaks your concentration). People regularly break off from a business or social engagement to answer the phone (even more so with the proliferation of cell phones).




  • Nine out of 10 people thought colleagues who answered messages
    during face-to-face meetings were rude, while three out of 10
    believed it was not only acceptable, but a sign of diligence and
    efficiency.



Interesting arithmetic in use there… is that a total of twelve out of 10? Or do some people think it’s an acceptably rude sign of diligence and efficiency?



[The study] found the IQ of those who tried to juggle messages and work fell
by 10 points — the equivalent to missing a whole night’s sleep and
more than double the 4-point fall seen after smoking marijuana.


I always knew distractions were bad; I just never knew scientifically how bad.



“Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”


Offices with real walls and doors would be a good start.



“This is more worrying when you consider the potential impairment on
performance and concentration for workers, and the consequent impact
on businesses.”


One could ask why it is only now that anyone is looking into the phenomenon of distracting work environments. Surely this kind of thing has been going on for decades. At least email can be postponed until later. It’s more difficult to ignore the telephone… or the worst interruption of all — the co-worker who walks in and says “Got a moment?” (Well, no but it’s too late now).

Vicki Brown's avatar

Posted by:

Vicki Brown

I am an information technologist and former technical writer/ editor /software developer. These days, I’m largely retired.

2 responses to “Distractions Lower IQ Scores (Duh)”

  1. Keri Avatar
    Keri

    So how do you think the office cubicle got invented? I know why we use them. They’re, likely, cheaper than building out an actual office with walls and doors, and they give you more flexibility when it comes to fitting “x” number of people in a space that’s only “y” big. Where are the studies that show that employees are x% less (or more?) effective in a cube environment than in an office environment?
    I suppose this cube thing was an improvement over the great open space with a tangle of desks lined up in rows that you see in old movies. And, whether companies are still doing it or not, actual offices used to signify importance. Office with a real door but no window/office with window but shared by three people/office with window, not shared/big office/bigger office/ corner office. (and then the clouds part and the angels sing – ’cause I guess you’re in the big-time when you’re in the corner office).
    Hmmm – I’d like to find some companies who’ve got this figured out.

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  2. Vicki Avatar
    Vicki

    Apple has it figured out. The Apple R & D buildings all have hard-walled offices with doors (and a window next to the door so light can come in from the hall). They don’t all have real windows by any means and they are, for the most part, the minimum 8′ by 8 size. But they have DOORS.
    Not only are people able to close the door and get real work done, they can adjust their lighting to taste (without interfering with their co-workers), play the stereo (without bothering their co-workers) and have small meetings (without impinging on their co-workers).
    I had that for several years; I really miss it.

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