For most of us, we feel like master multitaskers when we perform more than one task at the same time. For example, we could be drinking our morning coffee, catching up on email and tuning into a zoom conference call.
But did you know that for most people, in most situations, multitasking isn’t actually possible?
The fact is, we’re really wired to be monotaskers; this means that our brains can only focus on one task at a time. According to neuropsychologists, when we think we’re multitasking, most often we aren’t really performing two tasks at once, but instead, we’re doing individual activities in quick successions, or task-switching.
However, some researchers discovered that just 2.5% of people are able to multitask effectively. For the rest of us, our attempts to do multiple activities at once are futile.
Multitasking can impede your performance
Some studies have revealed that when our brain is constantly switching gears to bounce back and forth between tasks, we may become less efficient and more likely to make errors, especially if those tasks are complex and require maximum attention.
The more we multitask, the less we achieve because we gradually lose our capacity to focus adequately so as to learn.
Another downside is that attempting to do too much at once may result in lack of mindfulness and being truly present in the moment. Mindfulness comes with a surplus of benefits for our minds and bodies. In fact, several therapy sessions based on mindfulness can even assist patients who are suffering from depression, anxiety and other conditions.
Choose to tackle one task at a time
Choosing to focus on one task at a time can benefit many facets of our life, including the workplace.
A good example are surgeons; there’s an assumption that a surgeon’s skill is mainly in the accuracy and stableness of his or her hands. While there’s some truth to that, the true gift of a surgeon is the ability to single-mindedly concentrate on one person and complete a series of task over the course of several hours.
Remember they weren’t born with the ability to monotask. Instead, over the years, they have developed and perfected it through hours of practice.
