I read this today it is very interesting. We live in a world where there is alwyas more going on that just the one thing... Music, ads, posters, radio, work, sport, conversations. How well are we really doing in this multi tasking world?
Christine Rosen has written an intriguing article about multi-tasking for The Toronto Star. The article, "Can You Finish This Story Without Being Interrupted?", says multi-tasking is undermining our ability to concentrate, pay attention and decide whether or not information is worthy of our undivided focus. Rosen marshals the findings of scientific analysis to build her case against multi-tasking. Among the research she cites:
- A study in the UK showed people constantly interrupted by e-mails and instant messages did worse in a controlled test than those intoxicated by marijuana. The author said: "The IQ loss…is temporary. Remove the multi-tasking requirement, and test scores jump back to normal."
- Rene Marois of Vanderbilt University has explored the consequences of multi-tasking on the efficiency of the brain. Marois' research suggests that the more we jump from task to task, the more energy our brains waste.
- The research of Professor Russell Poldrack of UCLA indicates that distraction causes a physiological learning deficiency. When multi-tasking, the part of our brains used for storing and recalling information slows down.
Leaders should be aware of the perils of multi-tasking. For the human mind, more is less. Focus and concentration have immense value and are essential for a person to think clearly and work efficiently.
Multi-tasking will continue to be a temptation in the craze of today's workplace, but leaders doing too much at once will drain their brains and drag down productivity. Perhaps it's time for single-tasking to come back in vogue.
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