When I was 19, I was busy about 15 hours a day. I woke up at five o'clock in the morning for rowing training, went to school, worked two jobs and left time for active rest. That being said, I constantly tried to do multiple tasks at the same time to stay “productive”. It seemed to me that this was the best way to solve problems and that such an approach would pay dividends in the long term. As time went on, it became more and more obvious that I was wrong.
While the pursuit of multitasking appeals to us, there is evidence to prove it is ineffective and has a negative impact on mental well-being.
In fact, we never perform multiple tasks for real... While we may feel as though we are successfully completing two or three tasks at the same time, it is much more likely that the brain processes individual actions, quickly switching between them.
Like a cartoon drawn in a notebook, our attention is discrete. It is only through time and movement that fluctuating attention creates the illusion of multitasking.
This start-stop process costs us time and reduces efficiency, increasing the likelihood of making mistakes. Plus, it can be incredibly tedious when repeated over and over again.
How often do you find yourself in situations like this?
- Writing a letter while walking in the street
- Messaging while driving
- Reading a book while listening to music
- Talking to someone during your workout
- Viewing your Facebook feed while studying
All these actions are not unusual, they are the norm. But constantly bombarding the brain with many simultaneous streams of information is not all that helpful.
It's time to rethink how we think.
The scientific problem of multitasking
“Multitasking is like constantly pulling a plant out of the soil. This constant shift in focus means that new ideas and concepts will not have the opportunity to take root and flourish. ”- Barbara Oakley
Our brains are not designed by nature to multitask. Our firmware contains single-tasking.
The problem is that multitasking is often touted as a necessary skill for success in the 21st century, and our overflowing world of devices motivates us to use it in everything we do. If you have a mobile device in your hand, then you can do everything. It is so?
No not like this.
Researchers at the University of Sussexcompared the amount of time people spend on multiple devices (for example, messaging while watching TV) with MRI scans of their brains. At the same time, they found that in people with a high degree of multitasking, the density of the medulla in the anterior cingulate cortex is lower. This area is responsible for empathy, as well as cognitive and emotional control. Study leader Kip Ki Lo, a neuroscientist, says the following conclusions can be drawn from this:
“I think it's important to educate people that the way we interact with devices can change the way we think, and such changes can occur at the level of the brain structure.”
The growing trend of working on multiple tasks at the same time is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. In a matter of seconds, we have time to work on a project, listen to music, answer a colleague's question, check a calendar invitation, look at three monitors and feel the buzzing notification on our smartphone.
This is not “multitasking,” but a fruitless attempt to stay busy and cross out tasks on an infinitely long list.
According to Arthur Markman, professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas, the division of attention into several actions is stressing the brain and often leads to a decrease in real productivity.
In one study it was found that only 2.5% of people are able to cope with effective multitasking.
When we think that we are multitasking, we are, in fact, constantly switching from business to business. The brain copes with this function very well - it quickly switches attention from one place to another. We think that's how we are productive. We are really busy. But in essence, we're just burdening ourselves with extra work. "- Michael Harris
Learning Better Habits
“We inevitably face the fact that we are simultaneously doing a bunch of things, smearing our attention in such a thin layer that it is not enough for any of the tasks. This is often referred to as being busy. However, being busy is not the same as being productive. ”- Ryder Carroll
In my third year at De Paul University, I enrolled in an entrepreneurship and meditation course. Initially, I thought he would just fill the free time on my strict core schedule, but ultimately this course had a profound effect on my perception of focus.
Our teacher showed me how to practice walking meditation, which I initially thought was impossible. It became natural for me to listen to music, correspond or re-read my notes, getting off the train and moving to school. I have learned that through constant practice and effort, you can clear your mind and meditate in places that are highly distracting (such as the Chicago subway station).
It is important to understand that distractions are always there and are likely to get worse in the future. This is why it is critical to master high-level strategies to reduce the urge to multitask.
It could simply be a log of all tasks for the day. Physical rehabilitation specialist and Dynami Movement owner Matt Rice runs a daily Instagram feed that shows a simple log of tasks involving drinking a glass of water and performing various breathing techniques. This idea is supported by Ryder Carroll, who popularized the Bullet Journal , a high-level way of organizing your day and thoughts into a single stream of functionality to unload the brain.
The Atlantic recommends practicing Tab-Free Thursdays for intense single-tasking — using only one browser tab. One tab, one task, one day a week. You can even set time limits for each task and practice adhering to those limits.
This will help you focus on one task at a time and not allow an unbearable load of tasks to build up.
Conclusion
Mono-tasking, single-tasking - it doesn't matter what you call them. The most important thing is to understand that the obsession with multitasking is ineffective and potentially dangerous.
You need to understand that changing your habits and becoming productive does not happen immediately. Like everything else, it takes some effort. But if you take the time to figure out which approach is best for you and start using a set of strategies to optimize your energy and time, then I guarantee that you will take a step towards a less anxious and happier life.
