Multitasking: Myth or Magic?

By Kay Grossman, MA, ACG, ADDCA Graduate. 

Multitasking has become our modus operendi. Busy professionals, parents, adolescents, and even President Obama talk about the necessity of multitasking. The demands of modern life seem to require it, and technology certainly enables it. At home, we talk on the phone while preparing dinner and helping our kids with their homework. At work, we check our Blackberrys and answer e-mail while listening in on conference calls. We do more than one task at a time in order to get everything done.

 So multitasking must be good for us, right? The answer is maybe--maybe not, depending on how and when we use it. Used properly, it offers novelty and efficiency. Used without forethought, it can be a drag on productivity, creativity and learning.

 Scientific research shows that true multitasking is a myth. In the strictest neurological sense, the brain can pay attention to only one activity at a time. When we multitask, we shift our attention back and forth rapidly among several tasks, giving none our fullest, deepest attention. 

 Sometimes this works to our advantage. When we engage in familiar, routine tasks that do not require complex thought, it is often easier to persist if we stimulate our brains using another sensory modality. Listening to music while paying bills, or chatting with a friend on the phone while folding laundry, may facilitate our ability to get the job done.

 Often, however, something important gets lost in the process of multitasking. When we do activities that require more complex thinking, such as answering our child's questions, writing an email, or talking to our boss on the phone, we are far more efficient if we attend to a single task at a time. One reason is that our brains require time to store information. We risk losing that information as we shift our attention. For example, if we attempt to finish writing an e-mail while talking to our boss, our brain may not have time to register a key piece of the conversation. We may later make a poor decision because we missed some critical information.

 A growing body of research indicates that multitasking takes more time than doing one task at a time. One of the stages the brain must go through in order to shift attention is to turn off the rules for the first task and turn on the rules for the second. This takes a significant amount of brain-time. Each time we are interrupted, or interrupt ourselves, it takes time to re-orient when we return to a task. Some studies report that it may take up to fifteen minutes to restart a project after an interruption.

 Many adults with ADHD are drawn to multitasking and cannot imagine any other way of life. With a greater understanding of how their brain works and increased awareness of where they are focusing their attention, my clients find they work more efficiently and productively. 

 Here are some techniques that may be helpful.

     • Purposely multitask in order to complete tedious, familiar tasks.  Choose activities that engage two different, non-competing brain processes. Listening to music or a book on tape while emptying the dishwasher or clearing junk e-mail are good examples of using non-competing brain modalities.

 • Note benefits and challenges associated with multitasking. Is it actually timesaving, or do you make mistakes that require time to fix? Do you remember better when you stick with one task?  Identify the tasks that lend themselves to efficient multitasking and those that do not.

 • Design your environment to eliminate distractions and promote your ability to stick to one task. When you want to tackle a complex assignment, turn off your e-mail, phone, and Blackberry and put up a sign saying you are unavailable until a designated time. Set a timer to alert you when the time is up. At that point, you can choose to check for messages or to continue with the task.

 • Practice pausing to consider priorities when you are interrupted.  Ask yourself, "What's most important right now? Does this fit with my priorities for today?" Keep a list of 3 to 5 daily priorities in your line of sight for handy reference at home and work.

 • Practice techniques for managing around thought interruptions. It is especially common with ADHD for random thoughts to come your way. Each time you realize your mind has wandered, make a tick mark on a sticky note. With practice, you will become quickly aware of your off-task thinking and gain the ability to return to the task at hand. Also, pause to consider your priorities when you interrupt yourself. Create a mantra or ask yourself questions that will help you get back on track.

 • Build downtime into your daily schedule. All of us need uninterrupted time to let our minds wander. This is when creativity has the time and space to take root!

 So, is multitasking myth or magic? The answer is neither and both.  With awareness of both its inherent challenges and productive uses, you can manage your time and attention to get things done and enjoy yourself along the way.