Multitasking or how we are running into several different things at the same time. In a more advanced language, multitasking means performing several tasks simultaneously, especially several complex tasks.
How much does multitasking cost (us)?
Raise the hand who hasn’t ever talked on the phone while reading their emails or talked on the phone while driving. Psychologists who study what happens to our cognitive processes in such situations claim that we were not designed for multitasking.
Although it may seem contrary to an ingrained belief, we are slower and less efficient when we multitask. It’s what might be called “switching costs,” or the negative effects that come from moving from one task to another at the same time.
To determine the consequences of this type of mental “juggling,” psychologists conduct task-switching experiments and assess time costs. They consider how different aspects of the tasks, such as complexity or familiarity, affect any additional time cost of task-switching.
Multitasking, efficient on the surface, requires more time to complete tasks than we would allocate if we were to focus on one task at a time until it was completed, and often involves more errors.
Multitasking and productivity
It seems like we have a hard time letting go of multitasking, but I would give credence to research that suggests multitasking reduces comprehension capacity, attention, and overall performance.
What makes multitasking a productivity killer? Under the impression that we are accomplishing several things at the same time, we are only rapidly shifting our attention and focus from one thing to another. We thus fragment the work process, being forced to return to the same stages several times.
Jumping quickly from one task to another can cause mental blocks that slow down activity.
Shifting focus stop us from relying on automatic behaviors when we have to complete what we need to do. When we are focused on a single task we can work on an “automatic pilot”, which easily frees up our mental resources. Switching back and forth bypasses this process, and as a result, we exert more attention and tire more quickly.
Multitasking and the human brain
Multitasking is managed by the brain’s executive functions. They control and manage cognitive processes and determine how, when and in what order certain tasks are performed.
Executive control processes have two distinct, complementary stages. One stage of changing goals (“I want to do this now instead of something else”) and the other stage of activating rules (“I turn off the rules for this and turn on the rules for that”).
Both stages help us switch, without awareness, between tasks. Problems arise when switching costs are in conflict with productivity and safety requirements.
Research suggests that people tend to overestimate their ability to multitask, and the people who most frequently engage in this habit lack the skills to be effective in this way.
The latter tend to show more impulsiveness and minimize the possible risks associated with tackling several things at once. They also appear to exhibit lower levels of executive control and are often easily distracted.
Whenever we set out to accomplish a task, we also go through the following stages:
Setting a goal
Identifying the information we need to perform the task
Ignoring irrelevant distractions
When we try to engage in this process for several tasks at once, the possibility of making mistakes increases. We may fail to ignore irrelevant information, for example, which leads to more distraction and more work time.
What to do if we are still multitasking?
What can we do but make changes to help us stay as productive and efficient as we want to be.
The next time you’re multitasking, do a quick assessment of the different things you’re trying to accomplish. Then determine which task you need to focus on first.
Try to:
Limit the number of things you juggle. If you have to work on several things at once, try to combine something automatic, like folding laundry, with something that requires more concentration, like a conversation (a domestic example that you can translate into your activity as you like).
Use the “20 minute rule”. Instead of constantly switching between tasks, try giving your full attention to one task for 20 minutes before moving on to the next.
Group your tasks. If you have trouble resisting the urge to check your email or engage in another distracting task, schedule a time to work on those. By grouping similar tasks together and setting a time to handle them, you can free your mind to focus on your priority tasks.
Limit distractions. This may mean finding a quieter place to work, turning off your phone, and turning off notifications and alarms.
Improve your awareness. Adding mindfulness, anchoring in the present, to your daily routine can help you notice times when you tend to slip into multitasking. It can also improve your ability to focus on one thing.
There are many situations where we simply cannot avoid multitasking. Understanding its hidden costs helps us choose strategies that increase the efficiency of our work.
