Remember when you were young and it was a challenge to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time? Remember how after some practice you’d be able to clumsily perform this feat for a minute or two? This was likely your first attempt at multi-tasking.
Fast-forward 30 years, and you are probably still trying to do two things (or if you’re anything like me, then it’s more like three or four things) at once. Respond to e-mail while you participate in a conference call? No problem! Text message while you’re doing your homework? Sure thing! Right?
Wrong! While it may seem like you’re successfully multi-tasking, in reality you’re likely stumbling clumsily through both tasks that you’re attempting, doing neither of them very well. Humans are not multi-taskers. This is particularly evident when you try to complete two similar tasks at the same time – they are both competing to use the same part of your brain – slowing you down as a result. Studies show that putting yourself in this type of situation can knock a whopping ten points off of your IQ – comparable to losing an entire night’s sleep. In fact, studies show that when you’re frequently Read the rest of this entry »
