Notes
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Multitasking is the "ability" to perform more than one task or activity at the same time.
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In reality, the brain is incapable of performing multiple tasks simultaneously. It cannot truly multitask. Reference
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What you're doing is quickly shifting your attention and focus from one thing to the next.
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It isn't good for productivity. Some researches suggest that multitasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40%.
- Distractions happen more easily when you switch from one task to another.
- Cause mental blocks.
- More predisposed to errors.
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Even people who consider themselves heavy multitaskers are not very good at multitasking (reference).
- Those people were worse at sorting out relevant information from irrelevant details.
- The most frightening results happened when multitaskers weren't multitasking. When chronic multitaskers were focusing on a single task, their brains were less effective and efficient.
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On the other hand, multitaskers who use more than one form of media or type of technology at once perform better at integrating visual and auditory information (multisensory integration) (reference).
Questions
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How to minimize the negative consequences of multitasking?
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Which kind of tasks or profession multitaskers performs better?
References
- Wikipedia. Human multitasking
- Kendra Cherry. How Multitasking Affects Productivity and Brain Health
- Jory MacKay. Context switching: Why jumping between tasks is killing your productivity (and what you can do about it)