What Multitasking Does To Our Brains PDF

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What Multitasking Does To Our Brains

(http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-
does-to-our-brains)
129,952 10 Leo Wildrich
Filed to: PRODUCTIVITY (/TAG/PRODUCTIVITY) 7/02/12 7:00am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-mult
We've all heard it hundreds of times: to work eciently we have to single task. No
multitasking. And yet, we let it slip. We end up eating lunch in front of the TV with
our laptop open. We browse Twitter and Facebook whilst sending emails, and
probably chatting in Google+ too. If we should be focusing on just one assignment,
blog post, or proposal...why the heck is it so hard to focus?
Why we multitask in the rst place: It makes us feel good
To understand why we always fall into the habit of multitasking, when we know we
shouldn't, I found some very interesting studies. The answer is in fact quite simple:
[People who multitask] are not being more productivethey just feel more
emotionally satised from their work.
This is what researcher Zhen Wang mentions in a recent study on multitasking. She
mentioned that if we study with our books open, watch TV at the same time and text
friends every so often, we get a great feeling of fulllment. We are getting all these
things done at once, and we feel incredibly ecient.
Unfortunately, exactly the opposite is the case. Students who engaged heavily in
multitasking activities felt great, but their results were much worse than that of people
who didn't multitask.
Another problem a study found, is that multitaskers seem very ecient from the
outside, so we want to be like them. We see someone who can juggle emailing, doing
phone calls and writing a blogpost on the side and feel "wow", that is incredible. I
want to be able to do that too!
So very unknowingly we put a lot of pressure onto ourselves to juggle more and more
tasks. When really, it only seemingly makes us more productive. The daily output as
Wang found, only decreases though.
What is going on in our brains when we multitask?
The interesting part is that our brains can't multitask at all. If we have lunch, 5
Facebook chat windows open and also try to send o an email, it isn't that our brain
focuses on all these activities at the same time.
Instead, multitasking splits the brain. It creates something researchers have called
"spotlights". So all your brain is doing is to frantically switch between the activity of
eating, to writing an email, to answering chat conversations.
In the image below, you can see the dierent brain activities for various tasks that the
brain switches between. It jumps back and forth as you focus on each task for a few
seconds at a time:
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What's more is that Cliord Nass, a researcher at Stanford assumed that those who
multitask heavily will nonetheless develop some other outstanding skills. He thought
that they will be amazing at 1. ltering information, 2. being very fast at switching
between the tasks and 3. keeping a high working memory.
He found that none of these 3 points are true:
We were absolutely shocked. We all lost our bets. It turns out multitaskers are
terrible at every aspect of multitasking.
People who multitask a lot are in fact a lot worse at ltering irrelevant information
and also perform signicantly worse at switching between task, compared to
singletaskers.
Now most studies all point towards the fact that multitasking is very bad for us. We
get less productive and skills like ltering out irrelevant information decline.
Personally I had the same results without ever reading the above studies before. I put
some things in place, especially with working online, to win my productivity back and
ban multitasking from my workow once and for all.
How I developed a singletasking workow online by adding a twist to
well-known techniques
Before I learnt about any of the above, I had my own struggles with multitasking. I
would have 2 separate email inboxes open, TweetDeck at the same time, as well as
Facebook and an instant messaging tool.
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The thing was that I felt very much on top of things, hitting "command + tab" all the
time to check if I missed anything in one of the windows. With every tab switch it felt
as my head would get bigger, whilst I would get less and less done at the same time.
Both my brain and my work was rather scattered.
I had to stop this and I had to stop it immediately to work more productively on
Buer. To solve my multitasking madness, there were in fact 3 key changes I made to
develop a full-on single tasking focus:
The single browser tab habit
One strategy I put in place is something I call singletab browsing. I would limit
myself to only keep 1 browser tab open whenever I am working. That way I had
to really prioritize what the most important task was that I had to work on.
To explain in some more detail. Some key tasks I am juggling are email support
via our HelpScout inbox, Tweets for our @buerapp account, blogposts for the
Buer blog here and emails from my personal inbox.
Before I would have all these things open at the same time. Now I work through
them one by one. Only my HelpScout inbox is open. Then only TweetDeck is
open to reply to any Tweets. Then I move on to close everything and only open
Word to start writing. And nally I move to my personal email inbox, closing
everything else again.
Doing this is only possible with one improvement I put in place:
The evening planning routine.
Every evening, I would sit down and jot down what I would want to get done the
next day. That's a very common technique, and probably something that you
have done before also. It's a simple to do list, that you learn to keep in
elementary school.There was only a slight problem with to do lists. I wouldn't
stick to them.
So I added a twist to it. Besides jotting down what I wanted to do, I would add a
brief brainstorm with Joel. Doing this seemed like a small change, but made a
huge dierence.
When we sat down for just 10 minutes every evening, to briey walk through the
tasks of the next day, everything changed in terms of productivity. The reason
was that instead of just writing tasks down, I was forced to also think through
the tasks and explain them to Joel. "I want to write this article on this type of
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content, because of this inspiration I had. I will structure it like this.." and so
forth.The to do list I jotted down didn't change, but it felt as if I had done half
the work of it all in my head already. The next day, all I had to do is look at the
task and get it done.
If you keep a to do list, but rarely stick to it, try the same and nd a colleague,
spouse or friend to brainstorm 10 minutes every evening. You can do this for
each other and frankly, it becomes a lot of fun to meet up for this quick
brainstorm every day.
Change work location at least once a day
This is something that inevitably has made me more productive and focused on
singletasking. We read many times that we have to work on building a
comfortable work space to focus. What I found was this: I had to create many of
them.
To regain focus after nishing one task and moving on to the next one, just
spending 5 minutes as a break, getting a drink or similar didn't work. Nor did
closing the laptop for 5 minutes or standing up from my desk. I had to physically
move from one place to another.
So most times, I work out of my apartment for the rst half of the day, then I
have a list of coeeshops I can go to, or the lounge area in our apartment
building.
I completely understand that moving around isn't possible for everyone due to
their work setup. There are some very creative workarounds some companies
have come up with though, that might help you here. Valve, dubbed "The
bossless company", gives every employee a desk mounted on wheels, so they can
change location every so often during the day.
Quick last fact: listening to music whilst working isn't multitasking
In case you were wondering whether now you also have to give up listening to music
to be more productive, rest assured, that isn't the case, Stanford Professor Cliord Nass
mentions:
"In the case of music, it's a little dierent. We have a special part of our brain for
music, so we can listen to music while we do other things."
Personally, I am very excited to challenge my own workows and see how I can
exchange my existing routines for more eective ones. Singletasking has had one of
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10 34 Reply
the most powerful eects more me. This has worked both for results for Buer and my
personal projects. Of course, this only works if grouped with other habits that set you
up for a successful singletasking day.
What Multitasking Does To Our Brains (http://blog.buerapp.com/what-multitasking-
does-to-our-brains) | Buer
Leo Widrich is the co-founder of Buer (http://buerapp.com/?utm_source=blog.buerapp.com&
utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=blog-top-banner), a smarter way to share on Twitter and Facebook. Leo
writes more posts on eciency and customer happiness over on the Buer blog (http://blog.buerapp.com/). Hit
him up on Twitter @LeoWid (http://twitter.com/leowid) anytime; he is a super nice guy.
Image remixed from Vladgrin (http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=104544164) (Shutterstock).
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7/02/12 7:26am Tamales y Atole started this thread
1 Reply
Tamales y Atole (http://tamalesyatole.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 7:26am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=509948
(http://tamalesyatole.kinja.com)
I somewhat disagree with the Music part. I only can concentrate with
background-style (Soundtrack, "Elevator Music") because with any other I get
distracted with the lyrics. And that's why 50% of my music collection are Soundtracks.
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James Emberton (http://jamesemberton01.kinja.com) Tamal
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Classical music seems to be the best, or music with lyrics in a language I don't
understand (i.e Opera). The point being that music containing anything that draws
attention to it (lyrics or a heavy beat) tends to shift my focus away from whatever task
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7/02/12 1:19pm Frogwater started this thread
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Frogwater (http://frogwater.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 1:19pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995273#c
(http://frogwater.kinja.com)
Wouldn't we just evolve to be better at multitasking? Sure we won't see it happening,
nor our great grandkids. But maybe the brain is capable of becoming better at
something it struggles with in the beginning. The factors that cause people to
multitask won't go away any time soon, so lets just cross our ngers that we get better
at i....*eats burrito*
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Show more replies in this thread (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-
our-brains?comment=50994837#comments)
I'm currently working on.
Moon (
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while I work!
josesmael (
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have funny accents :)
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http://mrcookiedough.kinja.com) James Emberton
http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099
Similar here. I maintain a playlist of material that's more or less a blending of celtic
and newage. when there are words, they're often in Gaelic, so the music is toned down
and doesn't require that I ("get"?) it, something like that.
(http://happygardeningmama0
http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comm
Glad to know I'm not the only one who listens to music in languages I don't speak
http://josesmael.kinja.com) Tamales y Atole
For me it's all trance music podcasts while I'm working, although I will admit when
the DJ jumps on and starts talking about the next/previous track it gets a bit
distracting. Not sure if it's just that dierent words are being spoken to me while I'm
trying to write up documentation, or just because the best DJ's are foreign and they all
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7/02/12 7:19am Brandchan started this thread
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Brandchan (http://brandchan.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 7:19am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50994827#
(http://brandchan.kinja.com)
I'm terrible at multitasking. The most I normally do listen to music while working. I
might listen to a podcast when I am doing very rote work, but I'll pause it when I need
to actually think about what I am doing. If people are chatting with me online and I
get an assignment I end all my conversations and then start work.
The worst for me is my roommate he will start talking to me and won't stop for me to
pause whatever I'm listening/watching at the moments. So, I when I do pause it, I
have to make him all repeat it over again. He just doesn't seem to get it.
7/02/12 8:23am Moon started this thread
Moon (http://mrcookiedough.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
(http://mrcookiedough.kinja.com)
I often question if there really is such a thing as multitasking, if it's just something we
and our computers only *appear* to be doing, when in reality we're just doing some
very very fast shuing of priorities from moment to moment. Such things happen so
fast, they only seem to be
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7/02/12 2:20pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099535
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I've had a similar experience. During interviews when they ask you about your
"multitasking" skills, I lie through my teeth because I know it's just a myth. All they
really want to know is how well you stand up to 5-10 people telling you to do things
at once. In my job I can be working on a few dierent computers at once. To do it
eciently I have to set up mental notes with each machine as to what's needed and/or
been done. I switch when there is a wait cycle, much like a processor does. As long as
I don't get derailed by someone who thinks that my closed door means "Come on in
and talk to me about your kid's crappy laptop."
witeowl (http://witeowl.kinja.com) Frogwater
7/02/12 2:46pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995386#co
(http://witeowl.kinja.com)
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It all depends. Will multitaskers be more successful at reproduction?
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simultaneous.
7/02/12 11:04am jccalhoun started this thread
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jccalhoun (http://jccalhoun.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 11:04am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995106#
(http://jccalhoun.kinja.com)
"The interesting part is that our brains can't multitask at all."
I think that depends on how you dene "multitasking." Our brains can tell our hearts
to beat and lungs to function while we do something else. Is that not multitasking?
7/02/12 7:21am sakisaki6 started this thread
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sakisaki6 (http://sakisaki6.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 7:21am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50994828#c
(http://sakisaki6.kinja.com)
I've never been able to listen to music and work. I almost always tune out work and
focus on the music.
7/02/12 7:24am tomu started this thread
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http://thundalarchsys.kinja.com) Moon
Depends on the person, their relative IQ, and a handful of talents, but hey, I've done
research similar to this myself, and came away miles ahead of my competition.
Multitasking isn't for everyone, it's kinda something you have to be born to do (thus
talents and IQ).
Multi-tasking in a computer sense is possible with multi-core computers, but as you
mentioned there's little dierence to an outside observer between the two.
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jccalhoun
http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995143#c
(http://jangalian.kinja.com)
Multitasking as in 'activities', not automatic functions. Those are controlled by a
separate part of the brain.
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tomu (http://tomu-old.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 7:24am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50994831#c
(http://tomu-old.kinja.com)
Im a huge believer in the ecacy of doing one thing at a time but have habits so
ingrained that my alt-tab ngers operate without intervention from my brain. Maybe
some kind of nger splint would help break the twitch.
7/02/12 1:05pm Jay L started this thread
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Jay L (http://jayl01.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 1:05pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995247#com
(http://jayl01.kinja.com)
I can denitely understand how focusing on one task at a time allows you to be more
productive. However, I also believe that you can benet from taking a break after ~an
hour of working on something, and then doing something else. Making progress on
multiple dierent tasks in this way provides a similar feeling of high productivity, but
also allows you to get a feel for exactly how much work you have on your plate.
Obviously, not every task can be broken up into hour-long work sessions, but if I can
diversify what I'm working on, I won't get bored of my work.In terms of making to-do
lists, I've found that just making the old-fashioned, linear lists don't quite cut it for me
anymore. One method I've found quite useful is the Eisenhower method, which is a
2x2 matrix that organizes your tasks by urgency v.s. importance. It's a nice, visual way
to look at your tasks and choose which one to work on based on how necessary it is to
complete at that point in time. I've been using an iOS app, the Appuence Priority
Matrix, that is based on this methodology, and it's been working well for managing
multiple tasks.
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ABrambleNinja (http://abramble.kinja.com) Jay L
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Replying to approve. The approve button is STILL broken for me!
Jay L (http://jayl01.kinja.com) ABrambleNinja
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http://spanchal257.kinja.com) tomu
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Same here, gotta gure out how to deprogram this kinda problem
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7/02/12 8:22am iCurmudgeon started this thread
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iCurmudgeon (http://icurmudgeon-old.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
(http://icurmudgeon-old.kinja.com)
I keep several windows open at once, but all but the one I'm working on are
minimized, and I keep all audible notications o. I also quit Twitter, which I nd to
be nothing but a great time-waster, and never joined Facebook to begin with. If I have
something important that requires my attention I will switch my phone o. Call me a
Luddite, but I get things done.
However I will admit to trying to watch TV and read a book at the same time and
nd that I'm constantly going over the same page and/or hitting the quick rewind on
the TiVo repeatedly. Yep, multitasking doesn't work there for sure.
7/02/12 12:08pm PetyrBaelish started this thread
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PetyrBaelish (http://petyrbaelish.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 12:08pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099517
(http://petyrbaelish.kinja.com)
This also presumes objective of the multi tasker is to maximize daily output. When in
reality the objective is to meet the required output in the most enjoyable fashion
possible.
Certainly, when I was in high school and doing homework while watching television,
it wasn't doing so because I thought watching television would improve the quality of
the product. Rather it was that given the choice of just watching television or just
doing homework, I would do no home work at all. Or rather do 15 minutes worth and
then get bored.
When I went to college, I would have to lock myself in some remote corner of the
stacks, to prevent similar "multi tasking". But my objective had changed and the
increase of quantity and quality of out put was the goal. However, I was miserable.
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