Do You Multi Task?

Do You Multi Task?

In our busy, “Let’s get everything crammed into a 24hr period we can.” Way of life, it would seem that those who can multi task are taking the most advantage of those 24hrs. I recently came across an effective test to demonstrate how well you multi task. It is actually pretty easy and if you are a good multi tasker you should take this test to prove to everyone how much you are accomplishing each day. Are you ready? Test One:

As fast as you can, count from 1-12 and take note of how long that took.

As fast as you can, say the alphabet A-L and take note of your speed.

As fast as you can, say each month from January-December and notice your speed. Now take note of the combined speed of all three.

Test Two:

As fast as you can say all three in their proper combined order 1, A, January-12, L, December. Take note of how long this takes.

Test Two illustrates the effectiveness of multi tasking. If you actually took the test you know that it is quite easy to do Test One very quickly but nearly impossible to even complete Test Two without practicing first. Even after a few tries at it, doing it faster than Test One is a chore. However, people still believe they are doing better and getting more done when they Multi-Task. It is merely a myth we have come to accept which ultimately slows us down making us less productive but staying busy all the same.

Of course, this is only partially true, if you took a little time and learned the order you could no doubt get through Test Two more quickly. The reason for this is that your mind is learning a new skill, it is not Multi-Tasking, but it is taking multiple tasks and recording them as one task so that you can get through it faster. So if you have multiple repetitive tasks to do you can group some together so that your mind records them as one task making you more effective at your job. The problem is that most of the time the order of operations will change. Today’s multi tasking is rarely the same as yesterday’s or tomorrow’s and so this is one place that people are wasting time trying to train their mind (Unknowingly) to take multiple tasks and see them as one.

The point of all of this is to focus on productivity. If you would like to get more done, stop trying to do 10 things at once and focus on each task as an individual thing that you can do effectively.