Why Do People Think Multitasking is a Good Idea?
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Here at the-Coaching Blog-run by Gerard O’Donovan, our aim is to constantly bring value to those seeking to improve their lives. Therefore we have a policy of publishing articles and materials by guest authors whom we value and appreciate. Today’s guest author is Alicia Honeycut.
You’ve got TV running in the background, your phone is right next to you, you have your chats on with many tabs opened in the browser. Plus, you have kids fighting, something boiling on the stove and construction work is happening right outside your home. Can you get anything done completely? Science says heavy multitasking as this can temporarily reduce your IQ by over 15 points.
So, do you jump between many and seemingly unrelated tasks? That’s multitasking and if you think you’re getting more done in less time that way, you need to think again. Whether working from home or at the office, multitasking hampers your productivity. That’s why it’s so perplexing to think why people think multitasking is a good idea. It’s not. Multitasking is more than distractedly trying to email while talking to your wife on the phone. It’s tempting yes, but it’s doing more bad than good for you.
Yes, this is a busy life and you wish you had over 24 hours in a day to deal with everything and your cat. So you multitask, which is a necessary evil most times, but it’s a side effect, and it’s not doing anything good for you. Everyone is so distracted that you can’t help but check your phone for even at church.
Did you know? Multitasking is a myth.
David Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah, performed an extensive research on how attention works and how it doesn’t on 56,000 drivers approaching an intersection. The study made fascinating conclusions. One is, there is only 2 percent of people who thrive with multiple demands. Two. Just two percent and everyone thinks they automatically fall into that category.
The same research also says the people who try to multitask and the ones who are the worst of it. Now it’s safe to say you can no longer use multitasking as an excuse to juggle too many things at a time. Strayer further compartmentalizes the multitasking personalities who are most vulnerable to the bad habit of multitasking.
1. You are focused on the reward – The reason you multitask is to enjoy the rewards the completed task represents.
2. You love the thrill of the juggle – You thrive on constant stimulation and love working on different projects at the same time.
3. You assume you belong to the 2% – If you think you are good at multitasking then you would do it more often, compared to the people who don’t think they’re good enough to do it.
4. You have a short attention span – You are easily distracted by the next new thing that happens and just can’t get away from it.
Take a moment to think about these personalities. Do you fall into any of them?
Tips for better multitasking management
If you fall into any of the personality categories mentioned above, the good news is that while you cannot stop yourself from multitasking, you can always improve the way you do it.
● Strive to multitask only in certain parts of the day, not all day.
● Create a safe zone where you won’t be able to multitask physically.
● Identify the most complex tasks and do them in the distraction-free zone.
● Focus on familiar and repetitive tasks to indulge in your multitasking cravings.
Last, identify your triggers to distraction. Your important project needs your full attention. So, think about why do you absolutely have to work on multiple things at the same time.
● Do you want to be recognized as the person who gets the most done?
● Does the sound of every notification or chat ding draw your attention?
● Are you worried about missing out on the social media updates at all times?
Tips to break bad habits of multitasking
Multitasking is just bad for you. You end up not getting anything done right and so, your productivity suffers. Here are the simple but effective ways to do only one thing at a time and increase your productivity.
● Plan your day in advance, work up a schedule for the next day the night before.
● Schedule all your meetings in one day of the week.
● Resist the urge to look at your phone or your computer screen while having a conversation with a person.
● Use the “do not disturb” feature on your smartphone while working on crucial tasks or while taking a nap.
● Let colleagues know about when to stay away from you during those crucial times.
● Take a few moments during the day to focus on your breathing. Center. Breathe. Focus.
Time to get to the rewarding state of unitasking
A study says people who multitask can be less creative in their jobs compared to the people who put all their focus on just one task. These unitaskers enjoyed their work more too. Psychology corroborates that people are the happiest when they are so deeply absorbed into something that they lose themselves in the moment. Wouldn’t you agree? It’s no wonder time flies when you’re having a good time, right? A famous Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls it “the flow”. Children can relate to this flow when their play match their ability and the activity has clear goals.
If you are a manager, remember not to overload your staff. Many workers are forced to multitask because of the burden they have to carry. Set realistic goals, remember to take breaks to rejuvenate yourself and strive to become a productive employee without having to multitask!
Credit Source:
Alicia Honeycut – You may find me on this website or on my Facebook account.
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