Attention residue: what it is and what it means

Attention residue is the phenomenon documented by Leroy (2009) in which part of your attention stays hooked on the previous task even after the switch to the request that caused the interruption. The cognitive residue degrades the quality of work on the next task and lengthens the time it takes to get back into the suspended task. It is present regardless of the preventive strategy adopted: a protected block that gets interrupted does damage similar to an unprotected block if the residue is not managed.

Distinctive: stays hooked on the previous task
Distinctive: after the switch to the request
Essential: part of your attention
Essential: cognitive residue
Essential: lengthens the time it takes to get back
Constant: regardless of the preventive strategy adopted

Glossary

Attention residue

A phenomenon in which part of your attention stays hooked on the previous task even after you switch to a new request, slowing down and degrading work on the next task.