by Chas Bonner
MULTI-TASKING DILEMMA
Are you one of those normal human beings that tries to get 10 things done at once, hearing constant complaints from your spouse, i.e. normal? Or are you one of those rarities that does one thing at a time? If the latter, you are more efficient and happier!!!
There was a very interesting article in the Harvard Business Review by Peter Bregman outlining why we should stop multi-tasking.
First, a study showed that people distracted from their focus had the equivalent of a 10 point IQ decrease, the equivalent of losing a night of sleep.
Second, Bregman calculated about a 40% decrease in productivity when trying to do many things at once. Since virtually no one can do many tasks at the same time, rather than multi-tasking, we are really task-switching. Trying to do many things at one time causes us to do many things partially, and re-do others.
Bregman experimented for a week doing only one thing at a time. He loved the results, reporting a sense of relaxation, getting more things done completely and satisfactorily, reduced stress levels, eliminated activities that were a waste of time, and discovered more patience doing things that were useful. Most importantly, he saw no downside, and nothing was forgotten or unfinished.
What great advice, if only we can listen.
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