Improving Task Switching Skills

Ever notice how some people stay mentally sharp, even as they age?   What these sharper individuals demonstrate is increased cognitive reserve.   Cognitive reserve refers to the brain's ability to improvise and find alternate ways of getting a task done. It is closely related to the resilience of the brain and pertains to its capacity to sustain damage (due to aging or other factors) without displaying evident functional impairments in cognitive functioning.   This mental resilience can make a world of difference as we age. But how can we actively build and maintain this cognitive reserve?   Contrary to popular belief, brain training games or so-called ‘cognitive training’ programs aren’t the solution   In 2008, Lumos Labs released their cognitive training program ‘Lumosity’ which they claimed could prevent brain aging and the onset of age-related dementia. One issue? They had no evidence to support their claims and were fined $2 million by the Federal Trade Commission for deceiving consumers. Not cool, Lumos!   Many have turned to brain training programs like Lumosity, hoping to preserve their cognitive abilities. However, research has shown that brain training games make you better on those specific games but they don’t help improve memory, attention, perception, or planning more generally.   So, what does work? Research suggests that a variety of engaging, everyday activities can help boost and maintain cognitive reserve. Here are some proven strategies:   👉 Lifelong Learning: Engage in educational activities, such as learning a language, taking up bridge or playing an instrument.   👉 Regular Exercise: Engage in physical activities like walking, gardening, yoga, or any other exercise to promote blood flow to the brain. 👉 Socialise: Engage in regular social activities to stimulate your mind and maintain emotional health.   👉 Motor Skills Development: Learn activities that require fine motor skills, such as painting, plumbing or sewing.   👉 Nutrition: Adopt a diet rich in fruits & vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.   👉 Sleep Well: Ensure adequate and quality sleep, crucial for cognitive functions and memory consolidation.   Have you tried any of these activities to boost your cognitive reserve? What’s your favourite way to keep your brain active? 

In the SEAL Teams, we had a saying… “Slow is smooth… smooth is fast.” Your smoothest crews may look slow but I bet they finish on schedule (if not before)… AND I bet they have fun. I mean, check this dude out… He moved like he had all the time in the world: slow… deliberate… tiny micro-corrections. Owners in energy + manufacturing will recognize this instantly: If he loses focus, he doesn’t “fix it later.” He starts over completely. Also: it’s dangerous. At one point he even says something like, “I don’t want to burn the cameraman.” That’s the truth about focus in the real world: It’s quality + safety + cost control. But it’s also something we don’t talk about enough: Focus is where the FUN is y’all! Not “fun” like goofing off. Fun like flow. Fun like, “I’m fully here, I’m good at this, and it matters.” A lot of leaders think speed = productivity. In high-consequence work, speed usually means: more interruptions → more rework → more risk → more frustration. The calm pros look slow because they’re protecting the only thing that actually produces: attention. A simple “Focus → Flow → Fun → Fulfillment” reset (60 seconds) Use this before any critical task (startup, switching, lift, lockout, verification, handoff): 1. One breath. In through the nose, long exhale. 2. Name the next 30 seconds. “This is a critical moment.” 3. Scan for the two biggest risks. (People + process) 4. One commitment line. “Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.” That’s it. Not complicated. Not fluffy. Just a micro-dose of mindfulness that makes space for better decisions and keeps your team in the kind of focus that prevents defects and makes work feel worth doing. Save this and turn it into a pre-task habit for anything you can’t afford to redo.

🏗 How To Tackle Large, Complex Projects. With practical techniques to meet the desired outcome, without being disrupted or derailed along the way ↓ 🤔 99% of large projects don’t finish on budget and on time. 🤔 Projects rarely fail because of poor skills or execution. ✅ They fail because of optimism and insufficient planning. ✅ Also because of poor risk assessment, discovery, politics. 🎯 Best strategy: Think Slow (detailed planning) + Act Fast. ✅ Allocate 20–45% of total project effort for planning. ✅ Riskier and larger projects always require more planning. ✅ Think Right → Left: start from end goal, work backwards. ✅ For each goal, consider immediate previous steps/events. ✅ Set up milestones, prioritize key components for each. ✅ Consider stakeholders, users, risks, constraints, metrics. 🚫 Don’t underestimate unknown domain, blockers, deps. ✅ Compare vs. similar projects (reference class forecasting). ✅ Set up an “execution mode” to defer/minimize disruptions. 🚫 Nothing hurts productivity more than unplanned work. Over the last few years, I've been using the technique called “Event Storming” suggested by Matteo Cavucci to capture user’s experience moments through the lens of business needs. With it, we focus on the desired business outcome, and then use research insights to project events that users will be going through towards that outcome. On that journey, we identify key milestones and break user’s events into 2 main buckets: user’s success moments (which we want to dial up) and user’s pain points or frustrations (which we want to dial down). We then break out into groups of 3–4 people to separately prioritize these events and estimate their impact and effort on Effort vs. Value curves (https://lnkd.in/evrKJUEy). The next step is identifying key stakeholders to engage with, risks to consider (e.g. legacy systems, 3rd-party dependency etc.), resources and tooling. We reserve special timing to identify key blockers and constraints that endanger successful outcome or slow us down. If possible, we also set up UX metrics to track how successful we actually are in improving the current state of UX. When speaking to business, usually I speak about better discovery and scoping as the best way to mitigate risk. We can of course throw ideas into the market and run endless experiments. But not for critical projects that get a lot of visibility — e.g. replacing legacy systems or launching a new product. They require thorough planning to prevent big disasters and urgent rollbacks. If you’d like to learn more, I can only highly recommend "How Big Things Get Done" (https://lnkd.in/erhcBuxE), a wonderful book by Prof. Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner who have conducted a vast amount of research on when big projects fail and succeed. A wonderful book worth reading! Happy planning, everyone! 🎉🥳

Working in an office killed my focus and productivity. Here’s how I now optimise my remote working environment. Back story: I didn’t know I had ADHD when I worked in-house before going freelance. I told every prior employer I struggled working in an office, even though I didn’t understand why. I always requested to WFH, which was usually denied. The office environments I was working in were never optimal for me as they were created with neurotypicals in mind. I was constantly in an unproductive state of distraction and overstimulation. And most of my senses were triggered by: • Harsh or flashing artificial lighting • Messy environments with lots of clutter • Strong smells: food, drink, cleaning products etc • Music playing on the radio that created sound sensitivity • Colleagues speaking to me or each other when I’m in a deep hyperfocus mode • Or complete silence meaning all I could focus on was people chewing, coughing, typing… There was never any additional support or adjustments. This usually led to brain fog, irritability, restlessness, poor focus and discomfort. When I started my business over 2 years ago, it was the perfect opportunity to find my ideal working environment. And here’s what I’ve learned works for me - LOW STIMULATION ENVIRONMENTS: (Working from home, being outdoors, at a private co-working space) Like the environment in this video where there are few distractions. → Natural daylight → Minimal, neutral decor → Tidy, clutter-free environment → White/ brown/ bilateral sounds → Soothing scents - flowers/ sea/ candles HIGH STIMULATION ENVIRONMENTS: (Coffee shops, hotels, co-working environments, office spaces, library) Optimised for switching locations from desk and chair to sofa > indoors to outdoors etc. → Daylight, colour-changing lamp or dark moody environment → Neutral decor or bolder colours → Contains more useful clutter → Ambient music/ sounds → Relaxing scents Don’t get me wrong, I still switch up my locations 2-3 times per day. But at least I know my triggers now and understand my overstimulation/ sensitivities. - When I’m working remotely in the UK, it’s usually: WFH > coffee shop > garden or Coffee shop no.1 > WFH > hotel > coffee shop no.2 > WFH When I’m working remotely abroad, it’s usually: WFH > coffee shop > work in direct sunlight or Work on the balcony > move to sofa > move to table > balcony again > move to floor (😂) - Learning about ADHD, finding my ideal working environment and having the freedom and flexibility to work remotely has genuinely been a game-changer. P.s. this video is my ideal environment. How could it not be!? 🌊☀️ Smell of the salty air Soaking in the sun’s rays Sound of the roaring waves Eating my wee fruit & nut bowl Warm weather with an ocean breeze Regular screen breaks with this coastal view Sunny balcony = peak productivity for me 💭Where’s your ideal working environment? #adhd #adhdawareness #remoteworking

Imagine a child solving 10 massive five-digit numbers in just 8 seconds—without a calculator, without even touching an abacus. Why teach kids this when AI can do the math for us? This is the power of the Mental Abacus. Through training, children learn to visualize the abacus in their mind and perform complex calculations with astonishing speed. At Japan’s Flash Anzan championship, Takeo Sasano added fifteen 3-digit numbers in just 1.7 seconds—faster than entering them into a calculator. Why teach kids this when AI can do the math for us? Because it’s not about the numbers—it’s about the brain. 📊 Studies show that children trained in the mental abacus score up to 20–30% higher in tests of working memory and concentration. 📊 MRI scans reveal heightened activity in the right hemisphere of the brain (linked to visualization, creativity, and problem-solving). 📊 A 2021 study found that abacus learners had faster cognitive processing speed compared to non-learners, even when not doing math. These are the exact skills that matter in the age of AI: + Focus when distractions are everywhere + Mental agility to adapt to fast-changing tech + Creative problem-solving beyond what machines can automate The abacus once trained children to be calculators. The mental abacus trains them to be thinkers—future-ready for a world where AI handles computation, but humans lead with imagination, strategy, and innovation. 👉 In the AI era, training the mind may be just as important as training the machine. #AI #FutureOfWork #BrainTraining #Education #FutureSkills #CognitiveScience #ArtificialIntelligence #Learning #EdTech via @docuquest_official #innovation

Remote work isn't "working from your couch." It's this: Fewer tiny interruptions. More uninterrupted output. If you use the time intentionally, Remote work can be far more productive. AND far better for your life. Here's the practical playbook: 1) Protect 2 deep-work blocks ↳Put two 90-minute blocks on your calendar daily ↳Phone in another room, notifications off, one tab open ↳If someone pings you: "In a focus block, back at 11:30" 2) Replace commute with a "startup routine" ↳Write today's 3 outcomes ↳Prep your first task (docs open, bullets ready) ↳Send a "today" message to your team (sets expectations) 3) Turn meetings into "proof of work" ↳Before accepting: "What decision are we making?" ↳No decision = email update instead ↳Default agenda format: Goal → 3 bullets → decision needed → owner 4) Batch all "people work" ↳Slack/email twice a day (ex: 11:30 + 4:30) ↳Office hours for questions (ex: 2:00-2:30) ↳Everything else goes into a queue 5) Stop the death-by-context-switch ↳One "main project" per deep-work block ↳When you switch tasks, write the next step in 1 sentence first ↳You'll restart in 10 seconds instead of 10 minutes 6) Use the quick lunch + reset rule ↳Lunch: 20 minutes ↳Reset: 10 minutes (walk, sunlight, water) ↳Then one small win task to re-enter focus Remote work doesn't magically make you productive. It gives you the space to be productive, if you defend it. I'm curious:  Do you prefer remote work or in-office? --- ♻️ Repost to help others learn the truth about remote work. And follow me George Stern for more.

Are you scrolling more than accomplishing? Attention is the resource most worth protecting. Here are 5 science-backed steps to rebuild yours before it's too late: Step 1: Set a baseline. Grab a book. Time yourself. How long can you read without checking your phone? That number is your starting point. Train attention like a muscle. Start small. Stretch it. Step 2: Kill the attention leeches. Billion-dollar companies are competing for your focus. You're outgunned by design. Fix the environment first. Put your phone in another room. Turn off notifications. Close those 27 tabs and check them only in scheduled blocks. Step 3: Build a focus ritual. Same chair. Same playlist. Same cup of tea. The ritual itself doesn't matter. The consistency does. It's a soundtrack your brain already knows. It tells you: stop wandering, start focusing. Step 4: Take breaks before you crash. Your brain isn't built for 12 straight hours of focus. 90 minutes is about the ceiling. Treat your brain like a toddler. It needs snacks and naps. Breaks aren't deviations from performance. They're part of it. Step 5: Connect attention to meaning. Before you start anything, ask: Why does this matter? Who benefits? Write it down. Keep it visible. Purpose fuels persistence. When attention is tied to meaning, it stops being a chore. It becomes a choice. It's not fancy. It's not complicated. But you have to actually do it. Life isn't meant to be lived in 15-second increments. Reclaim your attention. Then reclaim your life.

What if the secret to sharper decisions lies not in your strategy, but in your surroundings? We spend much of our leadership energy on strategy and systems. Yet the physical environment we work in...the light, the noise and the temperature shapes our ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Researchers note that exposure to light not only governs vision but also influences alertness, cognition and mood. Bright light reduces sleepiness and improves neuro behavioural performance. Conversely, high levels of noise, particularly irrelevant speech, diminish cognitive performance more than temperature. In one study, researchers observed optimal cognitive performance at a moderate temperature with noise levels around 55 dB. I saw this play out when we refreshed the back office of a restaurant I was overseeing. The team had been working under harsh fluorescent lights and constant background chatter from the kitchen. People were tired, mistakes crept in and tensions rose. After reading about the effects of the environment, we replaced the lighting with softer, brighter bulbs, opened blinds to let natural light in and set up a quiet area away from the busiest machines. Within days, the mood lifted. Staff reported feeling more alert and less stressed. For leaders looking to harness the environment, here are a few considerations: 1. Let in the light. Where possible, increase exposure to daylight or use bright lighting. Evidence suggests that this helps maintain alertness and reduces sleepiness. 2. Control noise. Background chatter and irrelevant speech can impair concentration. Aim for moderate noise levels and quiet zones if your space allows. 3. Mind the temperature. Studies have found that cognitive performance peaks at moderate temperatures and falls when rooms are too cold or too hot. 4. Observe and adjust. Walk through your workspace at different times. Notice where people seem energised or drained. By managing light, sound and comfort, we give ourselves and our teams a better platform to perform. Have you made any changes to your environment that improved focus or morale? I would be keen to hear what worked for you.

Your brain becomes stronger the same way your body does — through consistent exercise, discipline, and mindful training. In a world filled with distractions, notifications, noise, and constant pressure, the ability to focus deeply has become a superpower. A few simple brain exercises practiced daily can dramatically improve concentration, sharpen memory, and strengthen mental clarity. Start with meditation and deep breathing, because even a few minutes of silence trains the mind to stay present instead of wandering endlessly. Reading books without checking your phone builds mental endurance and teaches your brain to focus for longer periods. Solving puzzles, playing chess, learning new skills, and practicing memory games challenge neural pathways and keep the mind active and alert. Writing down thoughts in a journal improves clarity and helps reduce mental clutter, while activities like visualization and mindfulness strengthen attention control. Even physical exercise, proper sleep, hydration, and healthy nutrition play a powerful role in boosting brain performance because a healthy body fuels a focused mind. Most importantly, train yourself to do one thing at a time. Multitasking weakens concentration, but deep work strengthens it. The mind is like a muscle — the more intentionally you train it, the sharper, calmer, and more powerful it becomes. Small daily exercises may look simple, but over time they build extraordinary focus, stronger thinking, and the ability to stay locked in on your goals while the world around you remains distracted.

Want people to stick with tough tasks? Turns out, a little psychology beats a bigger paycheck. The study goes back to a TED talk I heard in Vancouver by the CEO of Duolingo He said the single most important nudge to keep people on the task of working a language was: streaks. Now the science: In a series of six studies (with 4,493 participants), researchers tested a surprising idea: people work more when they’re paid less per task—if the incentive rewards consecutive effort. Instead of offering a flat rate, participants were given “streak incentives”—small bonuses that grow as long as tasks are done back-to-back, and reset if there's a break. The result? 💡 People stayed more focused, completed more tasks, and were more committed to their goals—even when the total payoff was lower than with traditional pay schemes. Why? Because streak incentives link past effort to future rewards. They build momentum. They make commitment visible. And here's the kicker: it’s not about the increasing numbers—it’s the consecutiveness that matters. You all know the drill from apps like Duolingo or snapchat. The streaks keep you going. If you’re designing incentive systems—whether in sales, learning, or gig work—this is a game-changer: 👉 Don’t just reward performance. Reward streaks. 👉 Make continuity visible—and valuable. 👉 Help people feel their effort builds. Because sometimes, 1 + 2 + 3 beats 3 + 3 + 3—when it keeps people going. https://lnkd.in/dJdYNuFC