Most people would agree that we live in a busy world. Work, home, hobbies, friends, and family are just a few of the things that occupy our daily schedules. Adding in other activities like extra projects, going to school, or traveling complicate things even more. It can be a real challenge to fit it all in.
So what do we do to make sure we have time for everything? Well, sometimes multitasking seems like the best way to accomplish the most we can in the time we are given. Piling one task on top of another can seem like an efficient way to do more than one thing at a time, and get more done. But can we really do that?
It’s a common misconception that people can multitask. Award winning salesman and author, Joe Girard, said, “Multitasking is really just task shifting.”
Are we really getting more done by multitasking? And what effect does that have on both the work we do, and the toll it takes on our minds and bodies? Let’s start with the science of multitasking.
Your Brain and the Price You Pay
Science has a lot to say about multitasking. For starters, our brains are not built for handling multiple tasks. Instead, when trying to multitask, we’re really just switching rapidly between tasks.
According to Kevin Paul Madore, neuroscientist at Stanford University,
“One way we can examine the effects of multitasking on behavior, and the demand it places on relevant brain networks, is by analyzing ‘task switch costs’.”
When we switch between tasks, there is a loss of accuracy or speed known as a switch cost. It takes time for your brain to refocus when switching to another task. This can be exhausting, as well as causing decreased efficiency, and hampers our ability to focus, organize thoughts, and filter out irrelevant information.
Too much multitasking can cause interference between brain networks that deal with attention and cognitive controls. Both working memory and long term memory can also be affected. In short, when you’re multitasking, you can’t concentrate 100% on either task because your focus is fragmented. And if you continue this chronic habit, you’ll most likely tend to be more easily distracted and have problems focusing on everything else.
With that in mind, it’s clear that multitasking may not really be helping you to get as much done as you think it is. And on top of that, you may not actually be doing your best at any of it.
False Productivity
Have you ever seen people who seem to be busy, are always pulled in different directions, but don’t seem to really get much done? Switching from one task to another, like answering an email, then sending a text, working on a project, then bouncing over to another task can make you feel like you’re getting things done. This pattern makes us feel productive but we often neglect or struggle with tasks that require deeper critical thinking.
When you complete a small task, like sending a text or checking an email, your brain responds with dopamine that makes you feel good. This creates a feedback loop that encourages more task switching. Instant gratification is a strong motivator and can hook you into the habit of chasing every shiny object that gives you a quick reward.
A better way of completing small tasks is to schedule them in succession. You can still get a feeling of accomplishment by how many things you got done, but not jump from one to another indiscriminately or spontaneously. Organize them as scheduled tasks by themselves.
Schedule larger blocks of time for more complicated tasks that need your full attention. And don’t be tempted to jump back over to check emails or answer a text in the middle of it. When you allow your brain to focus longer on a more complex task, you can improve the flow and efficiency, enabling better work.
When you schedule your time in ways that help you to stay focused on whatever it is you’re doing before moving on to something else, you avoid the trap of multitasking. Your productivity increases and your ability to use critical thinking skills and boost your memory networks improves.
Multitasking and Stress
One more thing to consider when trying to multitask is the way your body and mind react to stress and chaos. Multitasking boosts production of the stress hormone, cortisol, leading to mental exhaustion even early in the work day.
Normally, cortisol has a role in helping your body to slow down functions that would be non-essential or harmful in a fight-or-flight situation. But when your body is overproducing this hormone due to chronic stress, you can be putting your health at risk.
Research from the Mayo Clinic indicates that too much cortisol can result in things like anxiety, high blood pressure, weight gain, problems with memory, focus, and more. Other symptoms of chronic multitasking include irritability, indecisiveness, and difficulty in starting and finishing tasks.
Actor, Viggo Mortensen, once said,
“One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We act as though there aren’t enough hours in the day, but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.”
By doing each scheduled task one at a time, you may find that you can slow down and actually get more done with calm and focused effort.
Multitasking the “To-Do” List
Having a long “to-do” list can leave you feeling the need to double up on tasks, but that’s not the best option. Instead of a list, schedule tasks or activities into already established slots. If there’s no slots available, you may need to re-think your tasks and eliminate or “redirect” some of them.
Professional Home Organizer, Chrissy Halton, says,
“Schedules are meant to HELP, not HINDER. Create them with your lifestyle in mind.”
If there are things that other people can help with, such as household chores, or taking over a project that you don’t need to do yourself, then ask for help, or designate tasks to others who are willing to do the job.
It can be hard to let go of how you would have done it, but allow yourself to consider other ways that it could be done, and let someone else tackle it. You’re not only crossing a task off your list, but you’re also giving someone else a chance to show what they can do.
3 Tips to Mitigate Multitasking
Sometimes multitasking might not be too much of a problem. For example, folding laundry while listening to music isn’t difficult in most cases. You may not be as efficient at getting your clothes folded as quickly, but it probably won’t have that much of an overall impact.
In contrast, texting or other distractions while driving come with great risk. Regardless of what you’re doing, your brain is not focusing 100% on anything if you’re doing things simultaneously. So staying present and giving your complete attention to the task in any scenario, will have better results.
Here’s some basic tips to minimize task switch costs and be your best productive self:
- Scheduled Checking: Establish specific times to check emails/texts instead of constantly monitoring them. When you’re working on a more complex project, stay with it, and don’t be tempted to jump over to other tasks until it’s time.
- Turn off Notifications: Disabling alerts can reduce the temptation to switch tasks unnecessarily. Since you know you have a time planned to do the next task, you can tune out other distractions.
- Focus on Single Tasks: Prioritizing one task at a time enhances work quality and efficiency. Doing one thing at a time can decrease stress and allow your brain to fully engage in what you’re working on.
Dividing your thoughts and fragmenting your energy and focus doesn’t help you get more done. Multitasking is actually just switching from one thing to another constantly. It’s moving your attention and focus from one task to another.
Changing your focus frequently is exhausting and non-productive. So save your brain and rethink how you schedule your tasks throughout the day. Success is finishing the job, and still having a healthy brain.
