It feels productive and efficient, but beneath the surface, your brain is working overtime.
What Is Multitasking?
The question then becomes: Is multitasking actually a good thing?
Gpointstudio / Getty Images
Some research suggests that multitasking can hamper your productivity by reducing your comprehension, attention, and overall performance.
What is it that makes multitasking such a productivity killer?
Examples of Multitasking
How Multitasking Hampers Productivity
Multitasking takes a serious toll onproductivity.
This can be a big problem if you’re a person who struggles with attention and memory problems.
Changing our focus also keeps us from relying onautomatic behaviorsto finish tasks quickly.
Switching back and forth bypasses this process, and we tend to work more slowly as a result.
Multitasking Impairs Executive Function
Multitasking is managed byexecutive functionsin thebrain.
This might not be a big deal when you are folding laundry and watching television at the same time.
Adults may also experience lower performance while multitasking.
One 2018 study found that older adults were likely to make more mistakes while driving if they multitask.
They also seem to show lower levels of executive control and are often distracted easily.
The brain has limited resources.
Stretching those abilities across multiple tasks means you might be spreading them too thin.
We might fail to disregard irrelevant information, for instance, which would lead to more distraction.
The research isn’t clear on the exact relationship between multitasking and brain function.
At this age, brains are busy forming important neural connections.
However, research has not reached a consensus on the impact of media multitasking.
Then, determine which task you better focus on first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it can be.
Multitasking may reduce your ability to focus, increase feelings of stress, and exacerbate impulsiveness.
We perform much better when we focus fully on one thing at a time.
You should consider whether or not you’re really able to multitask before adding it to your resume.
Jeong S-H, Hwang Y.Media multitasking effects on cognitive vs. attitudinal outcomes: A meta-analysis.Hum Commun Res.
2016;42(4):599-618. doi:10.1111/hcre.12089
Madore KP, Wagner AD.Multicosts of multitasking.Cerebrum.
2019;2019:cer-04-19.
Multi-tasking ability, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking.PLOS ONE.
2013;8(1):e54402.
2017;140(Supplement 2):S62-S66.
doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1758D
Popawska A, Szumowska E, Kus J.Why do we need media multitasking?
A self-regulatory perspective.Front Psychol.
2019;20(2):127-138. doi:10.1177/1469787417735612
