Are distractions driving you dotty?
Micro-stressors and distractions can add up to a bigger problem
It’s not always the big project or the impossible deadline that breaks us. More often, it’s the small, constant interruptions — the meeting that eats into your focus, the ping of an unread email, the Slack notification that derails your train of thought.
Think about it:
A 30-minute meeting that breaks up your morning, probably for longer than 30 minutes in reality because you have to prep and then wind down afterwards.
An email that takes 20 seconds to read but leaves you worrying about the reply.
A Slack notification that pulls you out of deep work, even if it’s “just a quick question.”
These aren’t “big” problems on their own. But together, these micro-stressors add up to a silent drain on energy, focus, and well-being.
Why micro-stressors matter more than we think
The brain doesn’t reset instantly. Switching tasks—even for a few seconds—has a cost. Some studies show it can take up to 20 minutes to get back into a state of deep concentration after being interrupted.
Now multiply that across a day full of pings, pongs, and pop-ups. No wonder so many of us end work feeling exhausted but strangely unproductive.
Micro-stressors also keep our nervous systems on alert. Even “small” stress signals (like notification chimes) trigger micro bursts of adrenaline and cortisol. Our bodies aren’t designed to stay in that state all day.
Spotting the warning signs
Micro-stressor overload often shows up as:
Feeling constantly “behind,” even when you’ve worked all day.
A sense of low-grade anxiety when you check your inbox.
Struggling to focus for long stretches.
Irritability, mental fatigue, or that “fried” brain feeling by mid-afternoon.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common pathways to burnout today.
What you can do
As individuals:
Batch your communications. Check emails and notifications from team messaging systems like Slack at set times instead of reacting instantly. Let people know when your response times are.
Create focus zones. Block out time for deep work and mute notifications during those windows.
Redesign your calendar. Protect “no meeting” blocks to reclaim mental breathing space.
As teams and leaders:
Question the meeting. Does this really need to be a meeting, or would a shared doc or an email do?
Set response norms. Make it clear that “immediate replies” aren’t the expectation unless it’s urgent.
Model behaviour. Leaders who send emails at midnight (or reply instantly to Slack) set the tone for everyone else. Model behaviour that makes people feel like they have some time.
By naming and managing these micro-stressors, we can protect the energy that really matters: the capacity to do meaningful work and still have something left in the tank for life outside of it.