Multitasking Now Will Make You Stupid in Future (5 Ways to Break the Habit)
Break free from long term stress & brain damage.
Do you juggle tasks like switching between email app and attending online calls?
or do two things together like scrolling through social media in meetings or while eating?
If yes, then you are multitasking.
And contrary to popular beliefs, multitasking is not cool.
Read along to know why.
I too fell prey to multitasking without realizing. And soon understood how this constant switching was taking a toll on my energy levels. Including mental health.
In one of my articles, i mentioned how I relax after a full day of unavoidable screen time. While writing that piece, I delved deeper into my problem. I realized how doing too much at once was accelerating my mental drain.
If this happens to me, it happens to you too.
The damaging effects of multitasking is twentyfold than you think.
In stone age, the brain’s stimulus-response was a survival tool, so occasional spike of brain alertness made sense.
But today, when multitasking triggers multiple responses every hour, there is an imbalance.
The brain pays a toll every time it switches attention from one thing to another.
In doing so the brain uses up its cells and slows the response to each operation you try to perform.
You’re not actually doing many activities at the same time. You’re diverting your attention from one part of your brain to another part of your brain. That takes time, resources. That takes brain cells. — Dr. Sanjay Gupta from CNN.
Research from University of Sussex links regular and high multitaskers with low empathy.
Multitaskers had decreased brain density in the anterior cingulate cortex. This region manages empathy and emotional control.
It’s fine to hear songs while doing laundry.
But you must avoid multi-tasking those tasks requiring your equal attention. For instance, reading email while attending an online meeting.
If you’ve been multi-tasking for a long time, chances are this habit has planted seeds of damage in your brain.
But you can undo it.
From what I recognize through studies, it is possible to gain mental clarity.
It first starts with you recognising the problem and taking proactive steps to address it.
The actions you sow now will reap its benefits years later, for you.
Here are 5 tips I apply to cut multitasking.
And you must use it too.
- Avoid switching between tasks. Work on one task, before moving to another task.
- Schedule to accommodate and batch your important & dependent tasks. Ex: Set different times to check emails, complete to-do tasks.
- Limit notifications to avoid distractions. Turn off email, phone alerts while working on a task. Find a quiet place to work with limited interruptions.
- Declutter your workspace. Visual clutter will distract your brain and force you to multitask.
- Be in the moment. Practice mindfulness.
What action will you take today to reduce multitasking and prioritize your well-being?
