Why You Need To Stop Multitasking

There was a time when multitasking was something to be proud of, but no longer.

Multitasking is overrated

If you’re like most people you spend the majority of your day multitasking. You’re probably so used to multitasking that you don’t even realize when you’re doing it. After all, it’s a skill many employers look for in their employees and single mothers excel at! 

So why is it suddenly overrated? Many people will argue that multitasking saves them time. But honestly there are many reasons why multitasking is bad. The less you focus on a task, the more can go wrong. It’s better to focus 100% on one task at a time and not try to juggle your way through the day. 

Focusing also lets you concentrate on one task or thought at a time, helping you create a better result for each task.  More concentration equals less mistakes or "redo's" and is a more efficient use of your time.

Many people like to multitask because they become bored working on one task at a time or they are so overwhelmed they think it is the only way to catch up. Also people multitask because they cannot concentrate long enough to finish one task completely, for some they multitask because they feel compelled to always be in a stressful, high energy, mode.

But why is multitasking bad?
You have to switch from task to task. This takes time for your mind to change into the right mindset for the new task. You have to take the time to remember where you left off and the next step. 

• Multitasking leads to attention and memory loss and by default more errors and wasted time.
• According to a study by Harvard Professor Clifford Nass, in findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, people who use online social media and other forms of electronic communications have trouble focusing their attention and have lower scores on memory tests.
• Multitasking is stressful. You may feel overwhelmed adding more and more tasks into a small time frame.
• Multitasking causes cognitive performance issues. A recent study by Zheng Wang, a professor at Ohio State University, showed that multitasking caused students to feel more productive, but showed they were actually reducing their cognitive skills abilities such as studying.
• It’s rude. When in the company of others it is very rude to answer texts and phone calls while talking to other people. Continue this behavior and you will lose their respect. 
• When you live a life of multitasking it very hard to slow down or relax. This can lead to stress and burnout.
  
• Multitaskers lose productivity. Switching between tasks is counter-productive. You lose time and concentration every time you switch to a different task.
• Multitaskers are less likely to finish one quality project. They may finish all their tasks for the day, but they will most likely submit sub-par work, especially compared to if they had focused solely on one project.
• Multitasking makes it difficult to focus entirely on each task you are doing. You are thinking about emails you have to respond to when writing a report and the phone calls you need to return even while you are thinking about the next task on your to-do list. This type of working environment doesn’t do anything but cause you more stress. 

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Instead of multitasking among several tasks, you should prioritize your tasks and break them up into workable time chunks. It is much better to finish quality work rather than turn in subpar work that will have to be redone later.  

If you need support with concentration and learning focus there are many tools from simple breathing techniques to meditations I would be happy to share with you. Feel free to email me for more information.

Speak soon!
Sarah