Why Multitasking is Slowing You Down!

And the scientific proof behind it… (Yes! Even if you are a woman).

I have a brain…

You have a brain…

We have a brain!

Yes, We have a brain with billions of neurons and many trillion of connections, but we seem incapable of doing multiple things at the same time.

What? Are you serious…

You’ve guess it!

Sadly, multitasking does not exist, and the short answer to whether people can really multitask is NO. At least not as we think about it.

We instead switch tasks. Our brain chooses which information to process. For example, if you listen to speech, your visual cortex becomes less active, so when you talk on the phone to a client and work on your computer at the same time, you literally hear less of what the client is saying.

Based on over a half-century of cognitive science done at Harvard University and more recent studies on multitasking, we know that multitaskers do less and miss information. It takes time (an average of 15 minutes) to re-orient to a primary task after a distraction such as an email. Efficiency can drop by as much as 40%. Long-term memory suffers and creativity — a skill associated with keeping in mind multiple, less common, associations — is reduced.

But why can’t we actually multitask?

Multitasking is a myth. The human brain cannot perform two tasks that require high-level brain function at once. Low-level functions like breathing and pumping blood or going to the toilet aren’t considered in multitasking. Only the tasks you have to “consciously think” about are considered. What actually happens when you think you are multitasking is that you are rapidly switching between tasks.

If you’re thinking “this probably just applies to other people” — WRONG! In fact, studies show that people who think they are good at multitasking generally have a lower capacity for simultaneous thought. It’s a rationalization fest.

Research also shows that, in addition to slowing you down, multitasking lowers your IQ. A study at the University of London found that participants who multitasked during cognitive tasks experienced IQ score declines that were similar to what they’d expect if they had smoked marijuana or stayed up all night. Basically the IQ drops of 15 points for multitaskers lowered their scores to the average range of an 8-year-old child.

So the next time you’re writing your boss an email during a meeting (or while watching a movie at home), remember that your cognitive capacity is being diminished to the point that you might as well let an 8-year-old write it for you.

So What can we do about it?

Technological demands like social media and voice control gadgets (to name a few) are here to stay. What can you do to avoid overload?

1. Make an effort to be present and tackle tasks one at a time. Stick with one thing; one single item until completion if you can. If attention starts to fade (typically after about 18 minutes), you can switch to a new task, but take a moment to leave yourself a note about where you were with the first one. Then give the new task your full attention, again for as long as you possibly can.
2. Be aware of when to close your door. In the “old days,” people did this when they had to work hard on something. Doing the same thing to the electronic equivalent is perhaps even more important if you want to be productive and creative. Instagram notifications? OFF. Emails tabs? OFF. Even at work, set aside time when people know you are going to focus.
3. Understand and admit to yourself that not all information is useful. Consider which communications and stimuli are worthy of interrupting you, and what new data you should seek out. The trick is to prioritise, and becoming a master at it! Even when doing a simple Google search, ask yourself if you are just accessing links that confirm what you already believe or those that challenge those beliefs.

Which brings me to this photo I posted on March 26th ← Leave a comment after reading the 4 short paragraphs and let me know your thoughts.

Hope it makes sense to you as much as it does to me.

Whatever your reason; Be present!

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-SIDNEY-