The Science of Multitasking, and Why You Should You Should Doodle in Class
I. Multitasking: Good, Bad, or Impossible?
-The common belief is that multitasking is a skill. However, psychologists' warned that it is harmful to productivity and it is impossible to do a lot all at the same time. Contrary to this, studies presented benefits of multitasking which include talking on phone during long drives makes drivers alert and doodling during lectures because it keeps student's mind occupied.
II. Switching Tasks: Rapid Task-Switching
-"Multitasking" is actually rapid task-switching according to psychologists because our attention focuses on one task at a time only.
-There is a cost of task-switching which include delays and temporary drop in performance like losing money with frequent switches.
-There is a cost of task-switching which include delays and temporary drop in performance like losing money with frequent switches.
III. Calculating the Cost
-In identifying the gender of a face, and then switching to identifying the facial expression, the switch only takes only about 200 milliseconds to 25 minutes.
-In real-world interruptions, it cost of US$650 billion a year in USA which could took 25 minutes to regain focus.
-In real-world interruptions, it cost of US$650 billion a year in USA which could took 25 minutes to regain focus.
IV. Practical Advice
-The negative effects of multitasking include reduced productivity and unawareness of negative effects. The advice, therefore, is to focus on one task at a time. Our day should be structured by half-hour chunks of focused work.