Avoid Context Switching

Context switching is a term in multitasking computer operating systems where the context of a thread or process can be stored and saved so the work can be resumed later. This way several processes can utilize the same CPU.

Context switching can be a costly process for computers and people. If you switch too frequently between too many tasks, you may end up working very hard while delivering nothing. Deliver something. Persevere. Work on one thing and finish it. Or, at least try to come to a stopping point that is an improvement over the current version and deliver that improvement before switching to a different task.

One process that many people developing software utilize to limit context switching is a Kanban board with Work In Progress (WIP) limits. In this model, each engineer should ideally have exactly 1 item in progress at a given time and they see that item to completion before picking up the next most important task.