So that's my problem

A study conducted in London for Hewlett Packard suggests that "Info-Mania", the habit of constantly checking and responding to email, phone calls and text messages, causes an average 10-point drop in effective IQ, equivalent to the impact of losing an entire night's sleep.

Far from making workers more productive, the findings of a new scientific experiment reveal that those who “over juggle” and who constantly disrupt meetings and important tasks to read and respond to messages, significantly reduce their IQ. In a series of tests carried out by Dr Glenn Wilson, Reader in Personality at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, an average worker’s functioning IQ falls ten points when distracted by ringing telephones and incoming emails. This drop in IQ is more than double the four point drop seen following studies on the impact of smoking marijuana. Similarly, research on sleep deprivation suggests that an IQ drop of ten points is equal to missing an entire night of sleep. This IQ drop was even more significant in men who took part in the tests.

Why the comparison to marijuana? Probably because both email and pot make you think you're smarter but you're really not. They also found that Info-Mania can be an addiction -- no great surprise to anyone who knows why Crackberry is the most common nickname for a Blackberry device. Over 62% of adults are addicted to checking email after hours and on vacation. About 50% will respond to email within 60 minutes, and 20% feel it is OK and efficient to interrupt a meeting to respond to email. All in all, an interesting statement on "spending mental capital". Between checking my email frequently and not getting enough sleep at night, I figure I'm running about 15 points below my potential. Sounds like something worth doing something about. Of course, I'm still waiting for the study to determine the effect of a Triple Vente Caramel Macchiato on IQ.