I'VE never thought of myself as particularly distractable, but today
the evidence seems to suggest otherwise. While wondering how to start
this article I have: 1) opened an email alert telling me I have spam;
2) stared at a colleague's new haircut; and 3) watched a cloud shaped
like a cow turn into a sad face, and wondered if it meant anything.
Getting down to work is proving to be rather a struggle.
Wandering
attention is an occupational hazard for the average office worker;
research suggests that interruptions can take up to 2 hours out of the
working day (New Scientist, 28 June 2006, p 46).
Of the many things that disrupt our flow, visual distractions, like
email notifications, flashing telephone message lights or people
walking past the window, are among the most difficult to ignore.
Get Ahead 
