The case against multi-tasking is building
An article, The Myth of Multitasking, in this month’s Management Today magazine, adds to the backlash against the frenetic task switching that has become so common in the past few years, as more and more communication channels open up alongside new mobile technologies. See my posts A challenge to the multitasking assumption and The Big Question: How should presenters address multitasking?
The article collects some fascinating opinions and data. Here are a few quotes to whet your appetite:
"Multi-tasking might look impressive, but it's often just a muddle-headed displacement activity."
"It pays to look busy. Who isn't in awe of the person who can speed-read a report, listen in on a meeting and keep an eye on their e-mails at the same time?"
"Multi-tasking works, right? Wrong. Very wrong. The great multi-taskers of our time turn out to be the ones who remember nothing and get the least done."
"What you give up when you work like that is depth. You give up the capacity to reflect, and any depth of emotion."
"Interruptions are a disaster for idea growth."
"Multi-tasking feels good because it releases dopamine."
"The cost of time lost recovering from informational interruptions is $1bn."
We have to get hold of this problem before we turn into a bunch of crazy, stressed-out air-heads.
Labels: multi-tasking
posted by Clive Shepherd @ 12:58 PM #
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5 Comments:
For those in a detailed oriented profession like translating, concentration is a prerequisite. Not paying attention can lead to misinterpretation, assumption of facts that are not there or just misinformation caused by a poorly written text. I have often found that the people who multitask appear to have too much on their plate and yet feel they must do everything. Fortunately, some activities like speaking on the cellphone while driving are being target as a main cause of accidents. Legislation has been brought in in many parts of the country and the world to discourage this type of multitasking.
I think it all depends on the person, the job to do, and the level of interruption:
my main task is user support. I get interrupted all the time by users with problems, mostly through email, people walking in asking 'have you got 5 mins?' and the telephone. But that is my main job, the grease that keeps the machine turning.
My 'time filling' jobs that I do between support calls are adapted to the level of interruption that is a fact of life: writing documentation on things I can do in my sleep does not require a lot of concentration and can easily be returned to.
If I have something I know will require concentration, I hand over support to a colleague, take the phone off the hook, close the office door, or, better still, work from home.
That way all the tasks get done. It's all a matter of coordination, time management skills, and personality.
Kia ora e Clive!
The air has already diffused into too many heads. The belief that some people can multi-task, and do it effectively, is spreading like fire in summer-dry tussock.
It's much like the wave of so-called computer-literacy that swept the world at the turn of the century, leaving those who were ignorant no further enlightened. But the (false) belief that (mythical) multi-tasking is the way to go is more insidious.
It puts confidence in those who challenge legislation on driving (or operating machinery) while using hand-held devices, causes stress in those too scared to admit they're stressed by attempting it, and prompts demands by authoritative bodies to look for performance based on false expectations of mythical multi-tasking.
Here's to your contribution towards dispelling this stupid myth!
Catchya later
Clive,
Thanks for sparing me continued guilt and shame over my inability to multi-task. Now, I'm back to the task at hand.
A quick update to this. Some support for mind wandering - hurray! Wait long enough and science always comes up with the goods on 'bad things'.
Seems as though mind wandering during tasks of deep attention is actually productive, well some times, and some of the time at least.
The Brain Stop Paying Attention: Zoning Out Is a Crucial Mental State - http://tinyurl.com/l4s9e6
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