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Let’s get straight to the point. human beings cannot multitask. Our brains are configured in such a way that they cannot do several things at the same time.
To begin with, what is a task?
It’s intentional, controlled behavior. When an individual begins a task, he has in mind his objective and the action he wishes to perform. Doing two tasks at the same time would be, for example, driving while chatting with a passenger, answering e-mails while in a meeting, playing a game on your phone while watching a movie.
Multitasking means performing at least two tasks simultaneously, i.e. our brain processes them at exactly the same time.
Problem: it’s impossible!
At best, our brains switch from one task to another very quickly and continuously. The prefrontal region of the brain will ensure a kind of coordination and planning between the different tasks you want to do at the same time, and will switch from one task to another in around 100 milliseconds, or 0.1 seconds. The time it takes to switch from one task to another is so short that we’re not even aware of it, and feel as if we’re doing both tasks simultaneously.
Unfortunately, trying to multitask brings you more loss than gain.
You can lose up to 40% of productivity by switching from one task to another. Rather than saving you time, multitasking lengthens the time you spend on a task, causes you to make more mistakes and prevents you from seeing many important details. And why? Because by trying to multitask, your brain loses the ability to go deep into the subject at hand.
Not to mention that multitasking can, in some situations, be dangerous. In particular, when we think a behavior is automatic and requires no attention, such as walking or driving on a route we know by heart. As a result, we look at our phone while walking, listen to the radio while driving or talk to a passenger. Except that you can’t fully do both tasks at the same time. You’re splitting your attention in two, not observing everything around you, not going deep enough to analyze your environment. Thinking you’re multitasking can lead to dangerous situations.
Unfortunately, growing technologies give many people the illusion of multitasking.
But best practices exist to counter the instinct (or urge) to multitask. For example at work, put your phone and mailbox on hold when you need to be focused on a task, because, let’s be honest, it’s never: “I’m just answering a quick email” or “I’m just looking at Instagram for 2 minutes”. By doing that, you break your focus. Focus on one and only one task until it’s done, and only then move on to another. Set aside time during the day to check your social networks and answer your emails, and make it a real task. 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon.
Author: Anaïs Roux
