I Can't Multitask & I Feel Fine
First let me apologize to REM for stealing their line but, I can't multitask and yes, I feel fine. For a long time I tried to multitask, but discovered I was a miserable failure at it. So instead of being honest about it I hide my "problem". After all I couldn't let my kids know their college attending old man was just like all the other old people and couldn't multitask like them. But truth be told, no one really multitask's very well.
I recently read in Forbes Online an interesting piece by Douglas Merrill about multitasking. In the piece Merrill points out that while we may appear to multitask from time to time, we are limited by our short-term memory to the number of things we can concentrate on at any given time. On that theme I did a little more digging and found an article in HealthDay.com about actual risk in multitasking.
While both Forbes and the HealthDay discuss the risk to job performance through the lack of concentration when jumping from task to task. Chris Woolston, M.S., author of the HealthDay article speaks of the long term effects of stress brought on by multitasking. From causing headaches, and other minor pains, to even worst chronic problems like back pain, heart disease, and depression. Many of which I can attest to within myself.
Both of the articles suggest to limit your exposure to multiple stimuli. First by giving myself a break from time to time. Learning to organize your days better (one which I still struggle with). And sadly enough, learning to say no to taking on additional task (which is way easier said than done).
So in conclusion, do your best to limit your task. You'll find that by doing one job at a time the work turns out better and I'm doing less do-over. Now I'm not saying to have only one task going, but to do just one task at a time, giving it your full attention. This is where planning and scheduling come in.
Then you can feel free to say, I can't multitask and I feel fine.
I recently read in Forbes Online an interesting piece by Douglas Merrill about multitasking. In the piece Merrill points out that while we may appear to multitask from time to time, we are limited by our short-term memory to the number of things we can concentrate on at any given time. On that theme I did a little more digging and found an article in HealthDay.com about actual risk in multitasking.
While both Forbes and the HealthDay discuss the risk to job performance through the lack of concentration when jumping from task to task. Chris Woolston, M.S., author of the HealthDay article speaks of the long term effects of stress brought on by multitasking. From causing headaches, and other minor pains, to even worst chronic problems like back pain, heart disease, and depression. Many of which I can attest to within myself.
Both of the articles suggest to limit your exposure to multiple stimuli. First by giving myself a break from time to time. Learning to organize your days better (one which I still struggle with). And sadly enough, learning to say no to taking on additional task (which is way easier said than done).
So in conclusion, do your best to limit your task. You'll find that by doing one job at a time the work turns out better and I'm doing less do-over. Now I'm not saying to have only one task going, but to do just one task at a time, giving it your full attention. This is where planning and scheduling come in.
Then you can feel free to say, I can't multitask and I feel fine.
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