Can’t help yourself? Maybe you figure you’re so adept with technology and juggling a bunch of balls at the same time that, of course, you’re damn good at multitasking.
I know I’m very adept with technology, am 100% paperless and have proven systems I’ve developed over 30+ years. And, yes, there are times when I, too, try unsuccessfully to do a bunch of things at the same time.
How did we get this so mixed up?
It’s ironic that we’ve completely flipped the meaning of the term “multitasking”. Surprised?
I was recently reminded of this phrase from the book, The ONE Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan:
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Multitasking is about multiple tasks alternately sharing one resource (the CPU), but in time the context was flipped and it became interpreted to mean multiple tasks being done simultaneously by one resource (a person)
We got it turned around somehow, most likely from the appeal of the term itself. It makes us seem more productive than the next guy or gal … a little more powerful … because, damnit, I CAN do more than you because I’m smarter and can handle it
But we have to call B.S. on that one, don’t we?
If you doubt this, Google will gladly show you countless sources debunking the power of “multitasking”, but here is just one example that offers scientific evidence of the failure of that concept.
The biggest danger of multitasking?
Take a look at 8 Concepts to Gain Focus & Get More Done without Working 8 Days/Week which offers some help on the productivity front, including a reminder to DO ONE THING AT A TIME to get more of the right things done!
