Send us Fan Mail

We have more technology than ever designed to make work easier. So why does it sometimes feel harder than ever to get one thing done without being interrupted?

In this episode of No Filter | No Apologies™, Katy and Rebecca take an honest look at what constant connectivity is doing to the way we work, and how easily being responsive can start masquerading as being productive.

From email and Teams notifications to smartphones, smartwatches, social media and the seemingly innocent "I'll just check this really quickly," our attention is being pulled in dozens of directions. But here's where the conversation gets interesting: our devices aren't always the ones interrupting us. Sometimes we've learned to interrupt ourselves.

Katy and Rebecca dig into research on workplace attention and task switching, including findings from UC Irvine professor Gloria Mark showing just how frequently we shift our attention and how long it can take to return to the work we were doing before an interruption. They also get candid about their own habits, from dozens of open browser tabs and checking email from bed to turning off Teams notifications and using "send later" to protect after-hours boundaries.

The conversation explores how constant responsiveness can quietly take time away from the work that actually moves your career, business or priorities forward. Because answering everyone else's requests may make you incredibly busy while leaving your most important work untouched.

You'll also walk away with a simple Attention Audit you can use for one workday to identify what's actually interrupting you, whether those interruptions require an immediate response, and what they're costing you.

The goal isn't to throw away your phone or become digitally perfect. It's to become more intentional about who and what gets access to your attention.

Your attention is an asset. Are you deciding where to invest it, or letting everyone else spend it for you?

UC Irvine: Regaining Focus in a World of Digital Distractions · Microsoft Research: Notifications and Awareness · Microsoft Research: Blocking Workplace Distractions · Microsoft Research: Email Notification Urgency

CONNECT WITH NO FILTER, NO APOLOGIES:

Watch full videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NOFILTERNOAPOLOGIESPODCAST

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nfnapodcast/

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NFNAPodcast

Follow us on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nfna_podcast11

Follow Our Hosts on LinkedIn:

- Katy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katyshapiro/

- Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-sacks-606a7951/

Enjoying our raw conversations? Please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts