A lot of job descriptions these days say “the ability to multi-task required.” But did you know they are kidding themselves? The reality is, true multitasking is not actually possible.
Our brains are created to focus on one thought at a time. When someone says they are multitasking, what they are really doing is rapidly switching back and forth between two tasks or thoughts. Josh Kaufman, author of The Personal MBA calls this Cognitive Switching Penalty.
What this means is that every time you switch from one task to another, your brain has to “load” new information. This takes both time and energy. If you are doing this every five minutes, at the end of the day you will feel exhausted, despite not getting much done.
Everyone knows these days that it is dangerous to talk on a cell phone while driving. The reason for that of course is you are focusing on more than one thing at a time – driving and talking. In fact, research has shown that driving and talking on a cell phone is the equivalent of driving drunk.
In summary, focus on one thing at a time. You will get more done, accomplish the tasks more effeciently and effectively, and not be as tired at the end of the day. Happy single-tasking!
Source:
Multitasking is a Myth