So you think you can multitask and do a lot of things at once? You may feel that you are much more productive and can complete your tasks faster if you focus your attention on multiple tasks at the same time through multitasking.
Well, let's tell you a fact: humans really can't multitask at all. What you think is multitasking is basically your brain that switches from one task to another very quickly. So if you are working while watching a football game and think you are doing very effectively, you are in fact doing neither of them justice.
Here are three reasons why multitasking is more unproductive than you think and why you should always focus on one thing at a time:
Multitasking increases stress
Trying to focus on more than one task at a time puts pressure on the brain. Our brain is designed to focus on one task at a time. As a result of this extra pressure to switch from one task to another, the brain takes longer to complete the tasks.
This causes stress, as the same tasks now take more time than you normally would to complete them. At the end of the day, it turns out that you have been busy, but have spent much less effectively and valuable time.
Setting too many goals at once and multitasking to achieve them does more harm than good. When you're working, focus on one thing, complete it, and then move on to the next task. Focus, focus!
Multitasking weakens your memory
Frequent multitasking is harmful to your memory. Memory loss and distraction are common in people who try to multitask regularly.
Our brain is not designed to perform too many tasks at once. Even if you are juggling between two different activities, you don't really pay attention to both. So whatever you do or learn, you won't be able to remember it later. Short-term memory loss is a normal occurrence, but beware: multitasking can even damage your permanent memory.
More tasks = more mistakes
This is a natural consequence of the lack of focus that is characteristic of multitasking. Doing several things at once will split your mind between the two, so it's only natural that your mistakes will increase.
And according to the Stanford study, multitaskers are bad at filtering out irrelevant information. That means there will certainly be some mental cross-fertilization and overlap between tasks.
Can you always afford to make those mistakes? Probably not. That is why each task individually should be given your full attention.
Multitasking destroys your creativity
During multitasking, your attention switches from one problem to another, so you cannot focus on a particular problem at once. You may be able to work on many tasks at once, but you will really struggle with tasks that require serious troubleshooting. This is because your brain becomes so used to changing tasks that it is no longer able to fully focus on one thing.
Creative pursuits are profoundly affected if you multitask regularly. To really get into the depth of the problem and the solution, it requires your undivided attention and dedication and should never be done during a situation where you are trying to multitask. For example, don't check your chat messages or emails while working on a difficult problem. You can also work with the Pomodoro technique and during your breaks, answer your chats and then go back to work with full focus.
Multitasking is a waste of time
If you're distracted trying to do small tasks while also trying to do a big one, you'll quickly see how they actually eat up more of your time than save time. After the shift, the mind has to reset itself after each task.
We also cannot achieve a state of flow in multitasking. You've probably felt this before, like when you're reading a compelling book and time stands still. Hours later you look up from the pages of the book, surprised by how much you have already read. In the business context, a state of flow increase productivity by five times
In short, multitasking is bad for your productivity and actually your overall well-being. Don't switch between tasks and focus on just one thing at a time. You will really find yourself getting a lot more done than ever before!
Sources ao 15Five (link), Entrepreneur (link), Health (link), VeryWellMind (link)
