We keep email and IM open while we write, design, or code, and try to handle both at the same time. But according to Dr. Meyer , trying to split your attention between tasks that require effort and concentration means one or both of them will suffer:. Meyers is putting it lightly. Many other studies have found that excessive multitasking has severe consequences on our mental and physical well-being. Among other things, multitasking:. But all this context switching takes its toll. We can shift our focus really fast— sometimes it takes just a 10th of a second.
Yet despite all the consequences, most of us spend all day switching between tasks. One small study found workers switched tasks every 3 minutes. But in the workplace, it not only slows you down but adds anxiety and stress to your day. Doing one thing at a time is infinitely more productive than multitasking. And that has its own associated cost. When we move from one task to the next one, it takes time for our attention to catch up. Multitasking affects us in all aspects of our lives.
But nowhere are the consequences clearer than in the workplace. If we think of the different ways we can multitask—doing two things at once, context switching, and attention residue—it becomes pretty clear how these find their way into your workday. Even worse, The more devices, tools, meetings, and tasks we bring into our workday, the more likely we are to multitask.
In one study, UC Irvine professor Gloria Mark found that, in general, workers average only 3 minutes on any given task before switching and about 2 minutes using any digital tool before switching. From our own research, we found knowledge works on average, use 56 different apps and websites per day and switch between them more than times.
The modern workplace is a minefield of multitasking opportunities. But that also means that people who are able to focus intensely on one thing at a time have a major advantage. If you want to get tasks done at a higher quality and in less time, it pays dividends to focus on one at a time.
Even if you know the benefits of just doing one thing at a time. The modern workplace is designed to promote multitasking. The easiest way to reduce multitasking is to set up your day and your work environment for single-tasking and focus.
Your daily schedule is your map for the day. It tells you what your intentions are and holds you accountable to them. In order to be good at multi-tasking you need an incredibly good memory. Studies have shown that our brains can handle around four separate stimuli at a time.
Once this limit is exceeded, the efficiency and quality of our mental efforts starts to deteriorate. Consider the consequences of spending time on social media.
This type of online behaviour, alarmingly is becoming more and more common. Douglas Merrill, contributor to Forbes Magazine, tells a story about his experience working at Google. What stopped them from being productive? They were trying to manage several thinking tasks at the same time.
There is an exception however. So what about the clown who can juggle balls while riding a unicycle? For example, in studies , attempting to complete additional tasks during a driving simulation led to poorer driving performance.
Kubu says. Another pitfall is that trying to do too much at once makes it harder to be mindful and truly present in the moment — and mindfulness comes with a plethora of benefits for our minds and our bodies. In fact, many therapies based on mindfulness can even help patients suffering from depression, anxiety, chronic pain and other conditions. Opting to focus on one task at a time can benefit many aspects of our life, including the workplace. Take surgeons, for example.
Kubu explains. Rather, they develop and perfect it through hours of practice. And you can, too.
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