" Time is what we want most but what we use worst." William Penn
Multitasking has become a significant part of life these days. We scan the Internet while talking on the phone, then get interrupted by call waiting. We schedule appointments when caught in traffic and text friends while standing in line at the bank. The myth that multitasking works has never been stronger.
Earl Miller, a neuroscientist tells us that, "The brain is very good at deluding itself and for the most part, we simply can't focus effectively on more than one thing at the same time. Those things are nearly impossible to do simultaneously. Both involve communicating via speech or the written word, and so there is a lot of conflict between the two of them."
In a Stanford study, researcher Clifford Nass and his team were shocked to find out that high multitaskers actually did worse than the low multitaskers in all three basic aspects of successful multitasking:
The ability to focus on the relevant and ignore the irrelevant.
The ability to keep information organized in the brain.
The ability to switch from one task to another.
For Nass, "Multitasking is a problem and people should not be deluded into thinking that it works. It hurts productivity and it may also be hurting your thinking process, as well.
Like everything else, new mobile technology tools have a downside. It is up to us to use them wisely in serving ourselves and our employers well.
Stay focused. Managing two mental tasks at once reduces the brainpower available for either task, according to a study published in the journal NeuroImage. Up to 30% of U.S. automobile crashes are caused by driver distractions that include mobile communication devices.
Perpetuating the Multitasking Myth. Understand that you can choose to do several things at the same time but know that you are kidding yourself if you think you can do them without cost. Pay very careful attention to how tasks are divided into various subparts.
Perils of Multitasking. If you are engaged in very routine tasks that don't conflict much with each other in terms of their required inputs, outputs and mental processes, then you may be okay. But when multitasking gets tougher, you are better off to concentrate on just one task at a time.
Self-Coaching books to help you and your employees better manage time:
Women and Time (ebook for $.99 or paperback for $7.99)
Develop Leadership Skills: A Mobile Reference Guide (ebook $.99)