Category Archives: Multitasking - Page 2

The Perils of Multitasking

4264887191 76357edc36 m The Perils of Multitasking
by Mikey Roach

Thanks to the rise of email and the internet, multitasking is a huge phenomenon.

In addition to our three established methods of communication, answering mail and phone calls, and speaking to people in person, we now have an ever-increasing email inbox to manage.

Instead of using books to look up information, we can access most data for free, immediately, online.

Add to these communication and research activities internet shopping, plus access to online newspapers, magazines and blogs, and it’s clear why we’re tempted to multitask. We can access infinite tools for work and play instantly.

While technology increased our ability to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time, it also raised the bar on what we’re expected to accomplish. Most importantly, technology consolidated the location of most tasks to our desks.

With much more to do, and one place in which to do all of it, we try to beat the system. Thus began multitasking.

Research shines a light on the perceived benefits of multitasking:

* A 2008 study by Microsoft and the University of Illinois showed that we’re interrupted by an average of 4 emails per hour. When we switch from our current task to the email, it takes about 15 minutes to return to our task, and another 10 minutes to regain our original focus.

* In a 2005 study by the University of London, participants doing problem solving tasks amidst incoming phone calls and emails lost 10 IQ points. To put things into perspective, participants under the influence of marijuana lost only 4 IQ points.

The bottom line? Multitasking does not make us more efficient. On the contrary, multitasking makes us less efficient. And dumber.

Yes, writing that memo is probably a drag. However, if you resist the temptation to switch to this article on the fate of Michael Jackson’s children (I know, it’s cruel, and I’m sorry.) or respond to an email, you’ll get it done much faster. And you’ll do a better job doing it.

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How to Avoid Multitasking

318917942 10f20df908 m How to Avoid Multitasking
by habi

A common belief is that when you multitask, you get more things done. And your productivity increases. But nothing could be further from the truth. When you multitask, you’re actually hurting your productivity.

The only exception is if you’re doing tasks that don’t need a lot of attention. For instance, if you’re waiting in line, you can read a book. Or if you are driving, you can listen to music at the same time.

But generally, if the tasks you’re working on need your full attention to do them well, multitasking will slow you down. Whenever you switch tasks, you’ll have to spend time figuring out where you left off. It’s like being interrupted while you’re working. A Microsoft study showed that it took their workers 15 minutes to get back into the task after being interrupted. If you switch tasks a lot due to multitasking, you’ll be spending a lot of time trying to get back into each task.

To avoid multitasking, the first step is to minimize interruptions as much as possible. Turn off your cell phone, instant messenger, and email desktop alerts. Let your voice mail answer your personal calls. You can return your calls when you finish working.

Next, resist the urge to switch tasks, such as checking your email. Focus on the task you’re working on and nothing else. If you have a to-do list, work on each task one at a time. Don’t work on multiple tasks on your to-do list at the same time.

Want more time management tips?

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Multitasking Is Overrated

We seem to be obsessed with it. It is a result of our fixation on how little time we have to accomplish whatever it is we are working on. It is a result of our love of efficiency. It is part of our bias against thinking. Yes, many cube dwellers have a strong bias against thinking! Our foe: multitasking, and it often kills effectiveness. Multitasking – or any attempt to proactively manage one’s time – can always be taken too far. Multitasking in particular can be very problematic for two main reasons.

• It reduces your cognitive capacity dedicated to any one task. This means you’d better be working on very routine tasks or you risk increased mistakes. Even for routine tasks, you’ll reduce your ability to critically think about them – and thus you miss out on creative insights about how to improve the way you work.

• It sends bad signals to anyone interacting with you. People often multitask when dealing with others. This is not a recipe for building positive working relationships. They are far more likely to think you’re not paying attention and don’t value their time as opposed to thinking about how super productive you are.

I’ve met more than a few managers who think it is cool to work on emails while talking to someone in their office. I’ve even seen a few talk to business colleagues on the phone while writing notes back and forth with a person sitting in their office. In all cases, the communication wasn’t optimal. In some cases it is even comical. The ultimate issue then is whether or not you sacrifice effectiveness for efficiency when you multitask. Usually the answer is yes. This much we know with great confidence – you limit your creativity and typically send unintended and/or bad signals to others.

Stop multitasking – step away from the email and focus on one person or task at a time. I admit, it’s not always bad. My advice: many of you who know me can see this one coming – first, think through the 80/20. If a task is really important, it should not be part of your multitasking. Second, is the timeline very small? If it is not yet in the danger zone, don’ multitask. Does this project require any real creativity or novel thinking? If so, you sure as heck better not multitask!

Dr. Dewett is a nationally recognized leadership expert, professor, author, professional speaker and consultant specializing in all aspects of organizational life. As quoted in the New York Times, BusinessWeek, CNN, the Chicago Tribune, MSNBC and elsewhere. He is the author of Leadership Redefined. Podcasts, blog, free newsletter and more at http://www.drdewett.com Copyright 2009 TVA Inc.

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Multitasking And Multitaskers: More Means Less

3088152616 de696aabe9 m Multitasking And Multitaskers: More Means Less
by spaceninja

Today it seems to be the norm to be multitasking, doing more than one thing at a time. We get more and more information from different sources, which we are expected to process and handle faster than before. Multitasking, no matter what form it takes, means that our brains must use their “executive control function” which is associated with the brain’s prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex.

Our brain must prioritize and then allocate cognitive resources to all the information flowing into our brains. The assumption would be that the more we practice these skills, the better we would be at them.

Unfortunately, for some people, this is not true and in fact, a study conducted at Stanford University has found just the opposite. People who multitask the most are the ones who are the worst at multitasking!

First the study identified who the “heavy” multitaskers were. It was decided that those people who used four media items at the same time were the “heavies” and those using an average of 1.5 were the “light” multitaskers.

The study tested different cognitive abilities: the ability to ignore irrelevant information; the ability to organize information; memory and the ability to switch from one task to another.

In each of these abilities, the “heavy” multitaskers performed at a much poorer level than the “light” multitaskers.

The difference might lie in the high multitaskers being information “explorers,” people, who want more and more information, while the “light” multitaskers were information “exploiters,” who prefer to think about the information they already have.

Recent events have put multitasking in the spotlight as the controversy builds around allowing or not allowing cell phone use while driving for example or the consequence of heavy internt use.

Some people can’t seem to disconnect themselves from their information flow.

New technologies are great as they bring advancement in many different areas of our life and our health. We simply have to know when and how to use them in the most effective way.

It seems evident that individuals will be asked to multitask even more in the future as more communications forms will be created. We need to balance the need to know how to multitask with our capacity to stay focused and keep our concentration ability. Training the cognitive skills that are relevant to multitasking is useful to make you more productive in this area. Still it is important to know when someone has to disconnect so even their brain can get a rest.

Thomas Manner is a specialist in neuroscience and the brain training field in general.

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Bodybuilding Multitasking

4796776367 e0ef5c7fc8 m Bodybuilding Multitasking
by Rétrofuturs (Hulk4598) / Stéphane Massa-Bidal

Time is a rare commodity these days. We’re all in a rush and it seems we’re always running out of time to complete the things we need to do. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your time when it comes to bodybuilding training with the other activities you enjoy.

 

Morning cardio walks & Sun

If you are fortunate enough to live in an area of the country where the sun is shining and the weather is pleasant in the morning, why not start each day with a morning walk for cardio? As you may already know, cardiovascular exercise is much more effective for burning body fat when it is completed in the morning. In order for this plan to be successful, you should have your walking shoes (and socks!) sitting next to bed with your cell phone and keys, and a bottled water waiting for you in the fridge. It would also be useful to take different paths each morning to keep yourself safe. If you work during the week, preventing such early morning forays in the sun, you can always employ this technique on the weekends. Two days per week is better than none! And remember, you can always improve your tan (and vitamin D stores) with these walks in the sun.

 

Mini-stepper and …

The great thing about the mini-stepper machine for cardiovascular training is that is fits just about anywhere. You can climb on and pedal away, day or night, whenever the urge hits you. Watching television is probably the most common use of time when using the stepper, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can always pull up your laptop computer and check your email and complete your daily responses with this valuable time.

Or, if you can’t type and run, why not just read a book?

 

Abs and anything

The abdominals are one muscle group which is often neglected by bodybuilders in their efforts to add size to the body. It takes a great deal of sets to build thick pecs, quads, and back, and there are many time in the gym where time and energy are used up before the sets designated for abs arrive. Most bodybuilders would rather have a fully developed chest, and focus upon their abs later. For this reason, abs are often neglected. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. By placing sets of various exercises for the abs at various spots in your own workout regimen, you are able to include them with little interruption to your major body parts. And it doesn’t even have to be every set. Perhaps every other set of a back or chest movement, you simply toss in 20 repetitions of crunches or lying leg raises on the bench. Before you know it, you’ll have completed a few hundred repetitions, which barely disturbing your chest workout. Give it a shot, see if sneaking in a few sets here and there makes a difference!

 

Dane Fletcher is the world-wide authority on training, nutrition, and supplements. To build muscle fast, he recommends the world class steroid alternatives from GetAnabolics.com instead of illegal anabolics

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