Multitasking is tempting.
If you’re in a time crunch, you might try to work on two projects at once or you might multitask by having the TV on in the background while working to keep yourself relaxed.
But our minds can only hold onto a finite amount of information at a time and multitasking almost always decreases your ability to concentrate.
There are actually two kinds of multitasking, dual tasking and sequential processing.
Dual tasking is when you literally do two things at once, like rubbing your belly and pat your head, but it’s nearly impossible for anything except the simplest tasks.
Much more common is sequential processing, where you constantly shift your attention between activities, like switching between checking social media and the work you actually intend to do and often times people who think they’re dual tasking are actually just sequential processing.
No matter the type of multitasking you’re doing, it prevents you from devoting your full attention to a particular activity.
This leads you to take longer and make more mistakes than if you had performed them one at a time, especially if one or both of the tasks requires a lot of brainpower, like reading Shakespeare or writing an email.
There are a few situations when multitasking works.
The first is when you’re switching between related tasks like reading a book and taking notes, the other is when both tasks are simple and don’t require you to focus on what you’re doing, like watching TV and brushing your teeth.
While multitasking is appropriate for short habitual activities, it’s best to devote your full attention to important tasks.
Whether it’s doing work or driving a car.
