Don’t Be Distracted By the Myth of Multi-tasking

It’s pretty clear that texting and driving don’t mix, and that even just talking on a cell phone while driving can be hazardous. But what about multi-tasking in general? Some people, especially Millennials, believe that multi-tasking is possible. According to David Rock, founder and CEO of Results Coaching Systems and author of Your Brain at Work, it’s possible to multi-task when doing something like tying a shoe and chewing gum at the same time. Even chewing gum while driving is okay, but when it comes to tasks that require focused, conscious thought to perform, multi-tasking really is a myth.
“You can focus on only one conscious task at a time,” says Rock. “If you do multiple conscious tasks at once, you will experience a big dropoff in accuracy or performance.”

Since tasks requiring conscious thought can only be done accurately one at a time, Rock suggests people work on becoming aware of when they’re trying to do too many things at once, then slowing down and organizing tasks to minimize errors and maximize efficiency.
Another obstacle that many people encounter at work each day is distractions. Email alerts that pop up or chime, mobile devices buzzing or telephones ringing all draw employees’ attention away from doing their jobs. Overcoming those obstacles to productivity and focus are pretty simple, turn them off. Disconnecting from external distractions until a difficult task is completed is nothing compared to dealing with the internal distractions that pop up.
It’s normal for the mind to wander, says Rock. “The mind likes to wander like a puppy, sniffing around here and there,” he explains. A couple of things Rock feels people should understand about their brains are:

• “Attention is easily distracted.
• Being ‘always on’ (connected to others via technology) can drop your IQ significantly, as much as losing a night’s sleep.”

He recommends removing all external distractions completely to neutralize their ability to hinder focus. To minimize the occurence of internal distractions, he suggests taking a few moments to clear the mind before beginning on difficult tasks.
Staying focused at work is tougher than it may seem. Not only do people have to resist the temptation to answer every phone call, email or text message they receive, but they also have to resist their brains’ natural tendency to wander. Understanding how to recognize distractions when they arise is half the battle. Learning how to put David Rock’s suggestions into practice is the other half that could help employees to focus more on their jobs and less on … other stuff.

Originally posted by Candice A