The “One More Thing” Trap

Humans like the feeling of being productive. Even when we’re not at work, we’re constantly checking our phones and clicking away on our laptops. But this urge to do “one more thing” is a trap, because there’s always something else to do.

Consciously or not, our brains often mistake busyness for getting the most important things done, but they’re not the same. On a base level, our brains perceive all tasks as being equal. Answering an inconsequential email can deliver the same dopamine hit as nailing a pitch to an investor.

Getting things done feels good. When we complete a task, we mentally check it off and receive a dopamine hit. This craving takes on the qualities of an addiction. Our brains crave to get one more thing done. Even though research shows we need cognitive rest, it’s like a drug; we crave being busy, even when we earn a false reward.

FACTS:

Our brains deliver a dopamine hit for every task we complete.
This reward system does not distinguish between important and unimportant tasks.
Either way, we crave the satisfaction we derive from staying busy.

In our culture, we’re told that having a good work ethic means always being busy. If an executive spends Saturday afternoon at their daughter’s softball game, it can feel like slacking.

But leisure isn’t a waste of time. It’s important for everybody – even business leaders with massive responsibilities – to take some time for restorative attention. This doesn’t mean ignoring important projects. It means knowing when it’s time to stop for the day.

Don’t worry, the work will always be there tomorrow!

SOLUTIONS:

Safeguard your attention! Avoid anything that might trigger a work craving, with tactics like “Never check email in the morning”.

Do your weekly Attention Budget, which is one of the post powerful tools to tone down the lizard brain and keep you on track.

Commit to a shut-down time for the day – and create a ritual around it. Stop mid-task if need be, and use a Ready-to-Resume plan to pick up where you left off.

“Think about your schedule less like a pantry that we cram anything and everything into, and more like an art gallery where you intentionally decide what is most important.”

- Sendhil Mullainathan,

Professor of Computation and Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business