During the pandemic, many of us have enjoyed working from home, partly because it was easier to work in peace without being interrupted by colleagues. These unplanned interruptions may be work-related or of a more personal nature, and of course they can be both stressful and irritating at the time.

American research study

A research study reported by ScienceDaily suggests that the negative aspects of such interruptions are mitigated by the higher job satisfaction they generate. Researchers surveyed just over 100 office workers twice a day over a three-week period.

“We found that interruptions can actually be positive for individuals from an interpersonal perspective. People feel like they belong when others come and talk to them or ask them questions, even if this is disruptive to their work,” says Heather C. Vough of George Mason University, one of the researchers behind the report.

Harshad Puranik, a researcher at the University of Illinois Chicago and the lead author of the study, concludes:

“If the past year of social distancing and isolation has shown us anything, it is that humans are social beings who have an inherent need for interacting with others.”