Track Your Focused Work: Break Free from Stress and Boost Productivity

Stress and anxiety create a whirlwind of thoughts that compete for our attention, making it hard to focus on the tasks at hand. This is a natural biological response, but in today's world — especially at work — stressors are everywhere. From the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to the never-ending stream of negative news, and the challenges we face in the workplace, stress has become a part of our daily lives.

One critical factor in productivity is working memory. Working memory is like the brain's "active workspace" — it holds information temporarily so we can make decisions and get things done. For example, when I'm coding, my working memory holds a snapshot of what I've done so far, what I need to do next, and the overall goal of my task. Essentially, it's the memory you need while working. You can dive deeper into working memory's role in productivity in this Scientific American article.

However, like a computer, working memory has its limits. It can only hold so much information at once. When stress or anxiety fills our minds, it occupies a significant portion of that limited space, leaving less room for task-related information. This can affect anything from debugging code to writing reports, and even mundane tasks like preparing a shopping list.

The Working Memory-Stress Feedback Loop

Let me illustrate this with an example. A developer starts working on a new feature assigned by their product manager. Unfortunately, she works in a toxic environment, and her mind is consumed by thoughts about a tense conversation with a colleague and news of potential layoffs. She keeps replaying these events in her head. Suddenly, she remembers that she's supposed to be working on that feature. But what was she doing again? She needs to re-read the ticket, look at her changes, and spend a few moments recalling what she needs to do next.

Every time our focus shifts like this, our working memory partially "flushes." This means we have to reload information, either from other parts of the brain or from external resources, to get back on track. This process slows us down, increases stress, and creates a dangerous feedback loop. More stress leads to less available working memory, which in turn makes tasks take longer. And when tasks take longer, stress levels rise even further.

The Pandemic's Impact on Workplace Stress

I've seen many talented people struggle with stress and anxiety at work. COVID-19 significantly worsened this situation. According to the World Health Organization, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% during the pandemic. For North America, the prevalence rate of anxiety rose from 3.8% to 4.5%. The economic and geopolitical uncertainties that followed the pandemic only added to this burden.

As stressors multiply, working memory becomes overwhelmed, leading to reduced productivity. This creates a cycle where unfinished tasks cause more stress, which further impairs cognitive function.

A Modern Lifestyle of Distractions

One might wonder whether our attention span is shrinking. Surprisingly, research doesn't suggest that. Instead, we're facing more distractions than ever. The average human attention span has dropped to 8.25 seconds, thanks to technology, social media, and an overwhelming environment. For more insight, check out this detailed piece from Time.

In today's workplace, distractions come in many forms: constant notifications, unnecessary meetings, and endless email threads. Each interruption resets our focus, forcing us to reload information. Without focus, anxiety and stress rise, and the pressure to finish tasks mounts.

Improving Focus: The Key to Reducing Stress

In my experience managing engineering teams, I've learned that improving focus is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and boost productivity. It's not just about getting more done — it's about doing it more efficiently. I've even made it a personal habit to block out time for focused work, using tools like Slack's "Do Not Disturb" feature to eliminate distractions. I've become so committed to this that I developed my own Slack integration to track how much focus time I achieve each day.

The question I track for personal performance is simple: "How many hours of focused work did I achieve today?" Measuring this is far more effective than tracking superficial metrics like hours worked. If you're able to focus deeply, you'll find that your perception of time shifts. You may even realize that procrastination stems from underestimating effort and overestimating your capacity to focus.

The Role of Organizations in Reducing Distractions

However, focus isn't just an individual responsibility. Leadership in organizations needs to take an active role in reducing workplace distractions. They can create environments that foster deep work and minimize unnecessary interruptions. This not only benefits employees but the company as a whole. More focus leads to more work completed in less time, reducing stress and improving overall job satisfaction.

Conclusion

In the end, stress and anxiety often stem from distractions and an inability to focus, not from the tasks themselves. Learning how to minimize distractions and create an environment for deep work is critical to managing workplace stress.

As my team and I continue to build CalmWays, our mental health app, we're dedicated to helping organizations and teams improve their approach to mental well-being. By offering tools and strategies for stress management, we hope to make the modern workplace a healthier and more productive space for everyone.

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