If you’ve ever done research about the best and most desirable business qualities, you’ve probably come across multitasking. As many professional clichés go, it’s often listed in resumes and quoted during interviews. But is multitasking such a good thing after all?
The ability to handle many tasks at the same time may seem like a desirable one but there’s evidence to the contrary. If you want to become an effective multitasker, you may want to think again. Here are a few of the reasons why multitasking isn’t such a desirable characteristic after all.
Why Multitasking is a Myth
The benefits of multitasking appear to be a real myth, especially if you’re interested in maximizing your productivity.
Most people are capable of doing two or more things at the same time. In fact, most professionals work in a hectic, highly dynamic environment. This environment prevents them from focusing on just one thing at a time.
What happens in such instances, however, is that people are accomplishing work halfheartedly. While doing two things at once is entirely possible, it’s not plausible to expect maximum concentration on both tasks at hand. The job will get done in the end but it’s definitely not going to be to the best of the expert’s ability.
An interesting study was presented in the International Journal of Informational Management, shedding some light on how multitasking affects the brain. Researchers examined the habits of professionals and they found out that people check their email once every five minutes on the average. When email checking is done, the average worker needs 64 seconds to go back to another activity. That’s more than a minute lost in transition every five minutes or so.
Thus, multitasking is possible but it’s going to affect the quality of output. For people whose professions demand a high level of precision, this isn’t good news.
Should You Stop Multitasking?
With this being said, is it a good idea to stop multitasking and to focus exclusively on one task at a time?
Research suggests that multitasking reduces productivity by as much as 40 percent. Taking these numbers in consideration, it makes a lot more sense to do one thing quickly and move on to the next one instead of attempting to juggle two tasks. While you may be capable of accomplishing the later, you’ll definitely need more time to get it right.
Instead of attempting to multitask, you should learn how to prioritize.
Being effective at work and even when it comes to tasks at home is all about having a plan right from the start. Dedicate a few minutes each morning to determine which project is most important, which project will have you focusing the hardest. Start with this one and move on to less crucial tasks later on.
Other Reasons Why Multitasking Doesn’t Work
The most prominent reason why multitasking doesn’t work is that the human brain isn’t designed to concentrate on multiple taxing processes at the same time. This, however, isn’t the only reason why multitasking is a myth.
On top of being difficult, multitasking is also quite stressful (both physically and psychologically).
According to University of California Irvine researchers, people who attempt to multitask stay on “high alert” all of the time. As a result, their heart rate is elevated and their stress levels remain high. Chronic stress throughout the day kills productivity, plus it could have a detrimental impact on one’s wellbeing in the long run.
There’s also some evidence that attempting to juggle multiple tasks at the same time could potentially lead to memory problems. When trying to focus on two or more important tasks at the same time, people are going to miss crucial details. Also, interrupting one task to focus on another one could lead to short-term memory issues, researchers have found.
As the brain ages, recovering from such “detours” will become an even more challenging task. While doing a few things simultaneously every now then isn’t going to be so bad (for example, when workload gets higher during a busy season), a long-term commitment to multitasking may eventually deteriorate brain powers.
Finally, multitasking and creativity don’t go hand in hand.
In order to multitask, people are relying on a lot of their working memory. This is the part of the brain dedicated to remembering things in the short term. When working memory is fully engaged, it reduces one’s capacity to come up with creative solutions for problems. People are so busy attempting to focus that they can’t really come up with an innovative approach towards accomplishing a goal.
Final Verdict
Multitasking takes away from your brain power, your creativity and your productivity at work. Essentially, it doesn’t bring anything beneficial to the table.
In order to be a successful professional, you should probably work towards figuring out which processes require your undivided attention. Getting rid of distractions and becoming a bit more effective in terms of delegating will also be highly beneficial.
If you ever have to multitask, you can certainly do it and get good results. The trick is to learn how to multitask properly.
When attempting to multitask, you may want to rely on a tool that will simplify things. Computer reminders and a list of things that you have to complete can help you focus and determine how much time you’re going to dedicate to each task at hand.
Also, give your brain some time to reboot when switching from one activity to another. You may want to practice single tasking for a certain period of time. After that, take a quick break and move on to the next item on the list. Chances are that you’ll find yourself capable of accomplishing a whole lot more this way.
Alice Clarke is a professional writer with 4 years of experience from Sydney. Most of her free time, Alice spends on travelling and taking photos. Befriend with her on Twitter