by Dr. Lorin Bradbury
Question: My husband and I have been having some rather heated discussions lately. I find nothing wrong with multitasking, and he refuses to be interrupted to take a telephone call. I’m convinced that a simple telephone call or two isn’t going to affect the outcome of his work at the end of the day.
Your husband is right. Doing more than one task at a time, especially more than one complex task, takes a toll on productivity. Psychologists who study what happens to mental processes when people try to perform more than one task at a time have found that our brains were not designed for heavy-duty multitasking.
Researchers have attempted to measure the cost in time for switching tasks. Also, they have measured the cost of switching within similar levels of task difficulty, such as complex versus familiar tasks. It has been shown that switching between two different tasks, as opposed to task-repeat trials, significantly slows down the process, hence costing time.
There appears to be two parts to the overall cost of switching tasks. Researchers believe the first loss of time is attributable to the time required to adjust to the new task, and the second is attributable to competition due to a carryover from the previous task.
Most reading this article can think of times that you were required to switch tasks frequently. In the process, you may have found yourself having a difficult time moving forward, with thoughts from the previous task interfering with the new task.
One of the more interesting findings in multitasking research is that it can be harder to switch to the more familiar task than to less familiar task, possibly because you pay less attention to more familiar tasks. This can result in lost time due to mistakes while performing tasks that you know well. In other words, you are simply distracted.
How many mistakes have you made because you didn’t really hear what the other person was telling you? For an employer, this can be very costly. If the person is your spouse, it can be even more costly! Multitasking is a barrier to effective communication.
Time is money, whether it’s your employer’s time or your personal time. Understanding the hidden costs of multitasking may help people to choose strategies that will boost their efficiency. Throwing in a load of laundry while talking to a friend, or even talking on the phone, will probably work out all right. However, trying to focus on balancing a checkbook, or writing a report, while answering the phone, checking your e-mail, or surfing web, will result in significantly reduced productivity.
A University of Illinois study of Microsoft workers reported that each time a person gets distracted, it takes a full 15 minutes to get back on track. If you allow for multiple interruptions, you will find at the end of the day that you may have done a lot of things, but really you will have very little done.
I believe the research finds your husband’s opinion to be correct. Barbara Bartlein from the People Pro in an article about the harmful effect of multitasking on your productivity listed four ways to combat multitasking:
1. Accurately estimate the time to complete tasks. For one day, write down all the tasks you have to accomplish and estimate the time needed. Then truthfully time yourself. You will be able to find the percentage that you routinely underestimate and can adjust your work schedule.
2. Use external memory as much as possible. Albert Einstein once said that he keeps nothing in his mind that can be easily retrieved from paper. A cluttered brain makes it much more difficult to be creative and productive. External memory can be as simple as a pad of paper or using technology more effectively. Use the calendar on your computer to remind you of important dates or appointments and quick lists to organize your tasks.
3. Batch your work. Rather than checking e-mail multiple times per day, set times for reading and responding. Let your phone go to voice mail, if possible, and return phone calls during a specific time. Put similar tasks together, like paying bills and balancing your checking account, to increase efficiency.
4. Remove distractions. Control interruptions and noise. If the workplace is loud, discuss with co-workers ways to control the volume. Set times for consultation or questions rather than allowing unlimited access to your time. And make sure you don’t “interrupt yourself” by running to get more coffee or making a quick phone call. [Stay in your seat] until the task is completed (Cited in http://www.persistenceunlimited.com/2008/05/10-tips-to-stop-multitasking/.
Lorin L. Bradbury, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Bethel. For appointments, he can be reached at 543-3266. If you have questions that you would like Dr. Bradbury to answer in the Delta Discovery, please send them to The Delta Discovery, P.O. Box 1028, Bethel, AK 99559, or e-mail them to [email protected].
