Burstiness
A mix of fast, back-and-forth chat followed by long periods of quiet work. Successful remote teams use this to stay aligned and stay productive.
Related Terms
Asynchronous Communication
Messaging where you don't need a reply right away. This helps people work in different time zones without getting stuck.
Communication Charter
A simple guide that tells you which tool to use for which task. For example, use Slack for quick chats and Notion for long-term plans.
Context-Switching Cost
The mental energy you lose when you jump between different tasks. We try to limit this by batching meetings and quiet work time.
Where this term matters in hiring
Use this concept when evaluating remote team setup, role design, and outsourcing decisions.