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Multitasking is great in theory, but in reality it will:
- Reduce your productivity.
- Lessen the quality of your work.
- Distract you from focusing on the matter at hand.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]The allure of multitasking is tempting: Accomplish twice the tasks in half the time. Right? Wrong! Unfortunately, multitasking does not work as well as we might wish it to, because when you multitask, you effectively reduce the amount of attention and focus that you apply to each task. The sad truth is that humans are bad at multitasking.
To prove my point, let me show you how multitasking does not work with a short exercise. Follow these 5 simple steps:
- Open your smart phone or tablet and start playing a podcast, preferably a podcast that features an interview between a host and a guest.
- Begin listening to the podcast as you continue to follow these steps.
- While listening to the podcast, read this sentence: Timmy walks uphill carrying a bucket containing 14 apples. Halfway up the hill, Timmy trips and 5 apples fall out of the bucket. Timmy continues walking uphill and finds 3 more apples, adding them to his bucket.
- Answer this question: How many apples does Timmy now have in his bucket?
- Answer this question: What were the last 2 points that were made in the podcast you are listening to?
I bet that in order to answer the 2 questions at the end of the above exercise, you had to reread the sentence, and/or replay the podcast. Am I right? This exercise demonstrates just how ineffective multitasking is. When you multitask, you are spreading the resources of your brain too thin. What you end up doing is accomplishing two tasks with far less accuracy and dedication than you would if you were to complete one after the other.
I’ll admit that I’m extremely guilty of attempting to multitask at times. My most common infraction is trying to listen to an interesting podcast, usually an interview with a thought leader, while performing a work-related task, such as processing emails, developing websites, or designing a book. While I love podcasts and have more episodes than I’ll ever be able to listen to, if I’m not able to give my full attention to the great content, I simply miss it. I find myself enjoying the podcast as I work, but then my mind must focus on a process-heavy tasks, such as financial analysis. When this happens, my brain tunes out the content of the podcast in order to focus as I perform the detailed task. When the task is completed, my brain re-tunes itself to the podcast, but I’ve missed several minutes of audio, and I’m now lost as to what is going on in the episode.
Things I’m Guilty of Multitasking
- Reading Blogs while Listening to Podcasts
- Watching TV while Eating Dinner with Family
- Listening to Podcasts while Doing Computer Work
- Using My iPhone While Spending Time with Friends and Family
While most important tasks are impossibly to effectively complete by multitasking, there are some things that you can multitask in a way. In order for this to work, one task must be incredibly less important than the other. Almost to the point where if you were to only be doing the less important task by itself, it could be viewed as a waste of time. The important task can be called the primary task and the un-important task can be called the secondary task. In this scenario, your brain will be able to tune out the secondary task when necessary to focus on the primary task, and you won’t suffer any negative consequences for doing so.
Things You Can Successfully Multitask
- Doing Computer Work (primary task) while Listening to Music (secondary task)
- Listening to a Podcast (primary task) while Running (secondary task)
So, you can’t simultaneously process your recent receivables while conducting client phone calls. Now what are you supposed to do? By identifying and accepting that multitasking is not a good strategy, we can improve our productivity in other ways. Check out the list below, and leave a comment with some of your anti-multitasking tactics.
Things You Can Do to Prevent Detrimental Multitasking
- Schedule Time on Your Calendar to Complete Each Task
- Keep a To-Do List Handy for When Something Comes to Mind
- Listen to Your Podcasts at 1.5x Speed
- Pair Primary Tasks with Secondary Tasks
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