Envision yourself at the playground as a 10 year old playing tag. You are IT! There are two kids out there that you know you can handle and run down with ease. The problem is that they take off in opposite directions. You have a choice to make: chase both, chase one, or chase the other. As long as you choose one or the other, you are in good shape. If you decide to chase both (which I am not even sure is possible) you don't stand a chance of tagging one "IT". This is your brain when you multitask.
Pubilius Syrus was born in 46 BC. He is quoted as saying, "To do two things at once is to do neither". These words still ring true today. The average human brain goes through 4,000 words per day. It is no wonder that we try to multitask and attempt to do more than one thing at a time. The problem is that there is only so much brain capability. If you divide it between two tasks, all you end up doing is giving yourself an opportunity to screw up two things at once! This is not to say that we can't do two things at the same time. After all, we can all walk and chew bubble gum (at least I hope we all can). What it does say is that we cannot focus on two things at once.
The brain focuses on one task at a time. When you multitask, your brain switches back and forth between one and the other. It takes time and energy to start and restart a task so when the switching between tasks occurs, loose ends pile up. Researchers estimate that we lose up to 28% of an average workday to multitasking ineffectiveness. So how do you fix it? Live by the Three P's: Purpose, Priority, and Productivity: Identify your purpose at home, school, work, etc; Prioritize what you have to; and then put all your attention on getting things done one at a time. Until you get one thing done, everything else is a distraction!
Happy Halloween everyone!
Chris Fluck
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