Can You Walk and Chew Gum at the Same Time?

by | Jul 9, 2019 | Pro

Can you walk a chew gum at the same time? Probably. I bet you think this is multitasking. It’s not.

Stop trying to convince yourself that you can function at the same high level if you multi-task.You can’t.

You might also say that you can listen to music and eat and the same time is multitasking. Listening to music is not a task. We mostly eat by habit.

Whether you are a multi-tasker or not, know that multitasking is not good for you. The tasks you think you are completing thoroughly are not actually finished as well as you would like.

Your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. When you attempt to multitask, your brain lacks the capability to complete both tasks successfully. The multi-tasker goes from one thing to another which leaves room for distraction and mental hurdles.

Switching from one task to another takes time and focus away from what you want to accomplish. If you are a task switcher, not a multi-tasker, you will still not be as productive as you think you are.

Multitasking in meetings shows low self-awareness which is vital on the job.Multitasking can slow you down and affect the quality of your work. Switching from task to task slows you down as opposed to completing one task and then going to another task. If you are addicted to multitasking, it is best to keep things simple and attempt to multitask a maximum of two things at a time, if at all. If your tasks use separate parts of your brain, you may get away with this action. Bunch up your tasks instead of attempting to multitask. Answer all your emails in one swoop instead of answering emails while you are talking on the phone.

Multitasking can slow down your concentration and impede your attention to detail. Multitasking affects your brain and not in the positive way you might think. Heavy multi-taskers brains have been measured and determined that even when you focus on a single task, your brain will be less efficient.

Whenever I am writing and I am distracted by another thought about an uncompleted task, it takes a bit of energy to get back to writing. I am stopping multitasking right now; at least I’m working on it!

Check out this FR^E report on 5 Steps to Achieve Work/Life Harmony

5 Steps to Achieve Life / Work Harmony for Entrepreneurs

Joanne

Joanne Victoria
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