Want to do most of the things at once to save time? Want to quickly get on with things and do something you like? Multi-task. We all do it, at least for some part of our day. Texting during the meeting, chatting while studying or cooking food while watching tv. Well, it may not be as simple as it seems.
Research shows that multitasking can significantly reduce your performance and even hinder your brain activity. Our mind becomes constantly concerned about other things, and it becomes hard for us to focus on the task at hand. As luxurious as it sounds but single-tasking is the way to success. Here, I present you four compelling reasons to start changing your habits.
1. Decreases productivity
According to the research conducted by the American Psychological Association, multitasking reduces your productive time by a shocking 40%. You may think you are doing more work in less time. But, actually, you are not doing both of your tasks in the right way. You are not paying attention to single task, so you cannot perform anything efficiently. You are never fully in the zone to get something done. It will probably take you longer to finish a task doing multitasking rather doing it separately. You may already have noticed this fact.
2. Reduces accuracy
Even if you are somehow able to complete multiple tasks, you will find that you have not done them as you want it to be. There will be unexpected mistakes in your work. Your lack of focus will most likely be the reason that you have overlooked some mistakes. If you are doing more tasks at once, it’s only natural that you will make more mistakes. You are not doing justice with your work. At the organisational level, you cannot afford to make such mistakes. This inaccuracy increases almost exponentially with the number of tasks.
3. Hinders your brain activity
According to research conducted by the University of California, constantly shifting between tasks damages the short-term memory of the brain. And it becomes more obvious as you age. Hurrying between tasks and quickly going through them also creates anxiety, which is harmful to your health. Stress and depression are relatively common among people who engage in multitasking. It becomes hard for you to remember things. Have tried reading a book while watching tv? Well, don’t try it. You will miss out on the details and end up getting only a shallow overview.
4. Lessens creativity
Having your hand full all the time will not leave you any time to think out of the box. Working on tens of tasks at once will only cause tension and inhibit your creative skills. As multitasking requires a lot of brain memory. You will not have any left for creativity. You will never get new innovative ideas to do things as your constantly in a hurry. Yes, you may be able to complete tasks and assignments, but you will never be able to stand out. You will not develop an interest in something and will only do something for the sake of completing it. Being anxious all the time makes it hard for them to relax and generate “aww” moments.
