How many times have we been speaking to someone and that person receives a text message or an email and our conversation is put in the back-burner – better yet, how many times have we done that ourselves? In today’s technological society, we are all connected at all times through our phones – be it a smart phone or not – there is always the possibility of a real-time conversation be interrupted by a virtual one. Commonly, the response to my comment of the conversation being interrupted is, “I don’t have a problem doing more that one thing… I can multitask”.
I remember clearly my mother telling me that she used to study while listening to music – this, as an excuse to get me to study while I performed the more important task as a teenager, watch TV. Well, it seems that my mother had hit the nail on its head and now more and more people are following her advice. Grown-ups and students alike have embraced the commonly accepted notion that they can perform two or more tasks perfectly because they “can multitask”. These tasks may include reading/writing an email or text, driving, talking, and watching TV, reading a book on Kindle or many of the other tasks that fill our day. Students may actually have more complex tasks as, reading/writing a text, watching the latest upload on YouTube, having a conversation on IM, listening to their favorite music and finally studying for tomorrow’s test – and yes, that is the last of the tasks, because lets face it, it is the last on their list of priorities.
For a long time I have been struggling with the concept of multitasking – more specifically, with the notion of someone actually doing so. My problem is not in the process, but is the actuality that some people use this concept as a blanket in order to say that they are paying attention to something, when in reality, they are not. The reason why I use a strong phrase such as - using a blanket - is because although the process of multitasking is wonderful and sometimes a necessity in the work place, I believe it has no place in a social or learning environment and people in general use it to cover the fact that they are not paying full attention.
What is Multitasking?
By definition, multitasking is the performance of multiple tasks – which is a very nice definition, but what does it entail? Are the tasks concurrent or are they performed over a given period of time? To perform multiple tasks is not something that we are new to, as our society has become more and more demanding, we all have to perform various tasks; the real question is what is the difference between multitasking, and just doing everything that you have to do?
While researching the concept, I found that wiseGEEK gave me a clearer picture of what current multitasking and the multitasker is like. Based on computer’s ability to perform various tasks all at once, the concept has been translated to the work environment. Being able to answer phones, read/respond to emails, write reports and edit letters are the examples given of the tasks performed by a secretary, in many cases all at once. This is the true nature of the multitasker, a person that is able to juggle and complete multiple tasks, in the smallest amount of time.
This is the reality of our new work and life environment – although not a job requirement, most employers will ask of a new hire how well are his/her time management skills. When entering college, some students have to go through time management courses, or if they are having problems at the primary or secondary levels, the first question asked is if the student is managing his/her time correctly. We can all manage time well, if we set priorities and complete our tasks in the time given. The reality is, that what employers and educators want is that the hire/students use time more efficiently.
Efficiency is the real root of the situation – the more efficient a worker is regarding a particular task, the more time they have to complete other tasks. For students, the more efficient they are in their studies, the more material, or more complex subjects, can be introduced. Thus, multitasking is the answer to the more efficient necessities of the work and studying environments.
Is Multitasking more efficient?
If multitasking is more efficient or not, I have to be honest and say that the jury is still out on that particular. I do have to say that the side that provides evidence discrediting multitasking as an efficient way of working has more on their side. Most of the controversy is on the side of “not really paying attention” or that when we do more than one thing at the time, we are not putting forth the full potential. But why is this? Is there a correlation between our attention and brain functions?
The central idea behind the fact that multitasking may not be efficient is that an executive control prioritizes tasks in our brain. Studies suggest that the executive control determines two major stages: goal shifting and rule activation. Basically, the executive control determines the set of brain functions that are going to be used (rule activation) and regarding what (goal shifting). This study also determined that there is an actual waiting period that the brain does, when shifting goals – thus, wasting time.
Outside of scientific data and concepts, we may be able to understand the executive control as a filter or a task manager. Like the switch that lets us use certain speakers in our home or activate the speakers in another room or backyard. As the tasks reach our brain, they are prioritized – now it is the function of this control to determine the attention which we give that particular task. If we switch from task to task, that time that our brain takes to relocate the functions necessary for that particular task is in effect lost.
Now the key question that arises from the previous study is, if we are switching attention and brain function from one task to another, while multitasking – then are we really multitasking or just doing a task at a time?
Multitasking… really?
In an article by NPR using a short-order cook as an example, it presents the idea that multitasking is a human delusion. The article states that in reality what we are doing is switching attention from one task to another – following the model of the executive control. When we have our brain perform functions like talking and writing, which use same resources from the brain, Miller a Picower professor of neuroscience at MIT, calls it “interference between the two tasks”.
Have you ever tried to inhale, while talking? How about swallow and breathe at the same time? The reason why the two tasks may not be done simultaneously is because they are connected, and one function inhibits the other – the same thing happens with regards to brain function. Things like reading, writing and speaking use the similar cognitive pathways, thus the use of one, inhibits the use of another. Thus, the idea that we may be writing an email, while having a conversation, is not really possible. What is really happening is that the brain is switching from reading to speaking and in other cases to writing all in small amounts of time. This is where the studies mentioned before determine that there is loss in time and for this reason, lowered efficiency in multitasking.
So, if we cannot perform related tasks at the same time, and we cannot pay attention to two or more things at the same time, where is the infamous multitasking ability that many confess to posses?
The real use of Multitasking.
Although you may not be able to sing and write a letter at the same time, or read a book and listen to music – many of us are able to walk and chew gum at the same time. Here lies the true nature and use of the multitasking process.
Multitasking is a technique that many of us use in the work area; we clean our desks while talking to a co-worker about what we think lunch should be, we teach while cleaning the board, we watch a ball game while setting the table. All of these tasks are tasks that are not related in the cognitive level. Most of these are combinations of mechanical and cognitive tasks. In other cases, we may be able to combine things like having a conversation and preparing food, the reason why we can combine these two cognitive tasks is because one is second nature to us.
When the real multitasking begins is when the person can minimize the time it takes to switch from particular tasks. If the task is something that the individual knows very well, it is very easy to switch to another function. In reality, the first task never had the full attention of the individual, and this second task may be easier to switch to because it has more priority as determined by our executive control.
Regarding education, multitasking should be considered in aspects of using various cognitive levels. Using different methods of reaching the student are important in today’s differentiated instruction. The important thing always to remember is that the student has to be able to pay attention to what is being presented to him/her. Visual stimulus in combination with hearing; tactile motivation combined with visual and hearing – these are certain examples of multitasking. We are asking the brain to pay attention to various stimuli at the same time, and in many cases, one of those stimuli, if not all, are a way of reaching the student.
Multitasking is not a sin, but it should not be a way of life. Many of us live very stressful lives, but that should not mean that everything should be done at the same high speed, or while doing various other tasks. There are certain things that do deserve the full attention of an individual, especially if those things are the ones meant to relax.
I remember clearly my mother telling me that she used to study while listening to music – this, as an excuse to get me to study while I performed the more important task as a teenager, watch TV. Well, it seems that my mother had hit the nail on its head and now more and more people are following her advice. Grown-ups and students alike have embraced the commonly accepted notion that they can perform two or more tasks perfectly because they “can multitask”. These tasks may include reading/writing an email or text, driving, talking, and watching TV, reading a book on Kindle or many of the other tasks that fill our day. Students may actually have more complex tasks as, reading/writing a text, watching the latest upload on YouTube, having a conversation on IM, listening to their favorite music and finally studying for tomorrow’s test – and yes, that is the last of the tasks, because lets face it, it is the last on their list of priorities.
For a long time I have been struggling with the concept of multitasking – more specifically, with the notion of someone actually doing so. My problem is not in the process, but is the actuality that some people use this concept as a blanket in order to say that they are paying attention to something, when in reality, they are not. The reason why I use a strong phrase such as - using a blanket - is because although the process of multitasking is wonderful and sometimes a necessity in the work place, I believe it has no place in a social or learning environment and people in general use it to cover the fact that they are not paying full attention.
What is Multitasking?
By definition, multitasking is the performance of multiple tasks – which is a very nice definition, but what does it entail? Are the tasks concurrent or are they performed over a given period of time? To perform multiple tasks is not something that we are new to, as our society has become more and more demanding, we all have to perform various tasks; the real question is what is the difference between multitasking, and just doing everything that you have to do?
While researching the concept, I found that wiseGEEK gave me a clearer picture of what current multitasking and the multitasker is like. Based on computer’s ability to perform various tasks all at once, the concept has been translated to the work environment. Being able to answer phones, read/respond to emails, write reports and edit letters are the examples given of the tasks performed by a secretary, in many cases all at once. This is the true nature of the multitasker, a person that is able to juggle and complete multiple tasks, in the smallest amount of time.
This is the reality of our new work and life environment – although not a job requirement, most employers will ask of a new hire how well are his/her time management skills. When entering college, some students have to go through time management courses, or if they are having problems at the primary or secondary levels, the first question asked is if the student is managing his/her time correctly. We can all manage time well, if we set priorities and complete our tasks in the time given. The reality is, that what employers and educators want is that the hire/students use time more efficiently.
Efficiency is the real root of the situation – the more efficient a worker is regarding a particular task, the more time they have to complete other tasks. For students, the more efficient they are in their studies, the more material, or more complex subjects, can be introduced. Thus, multitasking is the answer to the more efficient necessities of the work and studying environments.
Is Multitasking more efficient?
If multitasking is more efficient or not, I have to be honest and say that the jury is still out on that particular. I do have to say that the side that provides evidence discrediting multitasking as an efficient way of working has more on their side. Most of the controversy is on the side of “not really paying attention” or that when we do more than one thing at the time, we are not putting forth the full potential. But why is this? Is there a correlation between our attention and brain functions?
The central idea behind the fact that multitasking may not be efficient is that an executive control prioritizes tasks in our brain. Studies suggest that the executive control determines two major stages: goal shifting and rule activation. Basically, the executive control determines the set of brain functions that are going to be used (rule activation) and regarding what (goal shifting). This study also determined that there is an actual waiting period that the brain does, when shifting goals – thus, wasting time.
Outside of scientific data and concepts, we may be able to understand the executive control as a filter or a task manager. Like the switch that lets us use certain speakers in our home or activate the speakers in another room or backyard. As the tasks reach our brain, they are prioritized – now it is the function of this control to determine the attention which we give that particular task. If we switch from task to task, that time that our brain takes to relocate the functions necessary for that particular task is in effect lost.
Now the key question that arises from the previous study is, if we are switching attention and brain function from one task to another, while multitasking – then are we really multitasking or just doing a task at a time?
Multitasking… really?
In an article by NPR using a short-order cook as an example, it presents the idea that multitasking is a human delusion. The article states that in reality what we are doing is switching attention from one task to another – following the model of the executive control. When we have our brain perform functions like talking and writing, which use same resources from the brain, Miller a Picower professor of neuroscience at MIT, calls it “interference between the two tasks”.
Have you ever tried to inhale, while talking? How about swallow and breathe at the same time? The reason why the two tasks may not be done simultaneously is because they are connected, and one function inhibits the other – the same thing happens with regards to brain function. Things like reading, writing and speaking use the similar cognitive pathways, thus the use of one, inhibits the use of another. Thus, the idea that we may be writing an email, while having a conversation, is not really possible. What is really happening is that the brain is switching from reading to speaking and in other cases to writing all in small amounts of time. This is where the studies mentioned before determine that there is loss in time and for this reason, lowered efficiency in multitasking.
So, if we cannot perform related tasks at the same time, and we cannot pay attention to two or more things at the same time, where is the infamous multitasking ability that many confess to posses?
The real use of Multitasking.
Although you may not be able to sing and write a letter at the same time, or read a book and listen to music – many of us are able to walk and chew gum at the same time. Here lies the true nature and use of the multitasking process.
Multitasking is a technique that many of us use in the work area; we clean our desks while talking to a co-worker about what we think lunch should be, we teach while cleaning the board, we watch a ball game while setting the table. All of these tasks are tasks that are not related in the cognitive level. Most of these are combinations of mechanical and cognitive tasks. In other cases, we may be able to combine things like having a conversation and preparing food, the reason why we can combine these two cognitive tasks is because one is second nature to us.
When the real multitasking begins is when the person can minimize the time it takes to switch from particular tasks. If the task is something that the individual knows very well, it is very easy to switch to another function. In reality, the first task never had the full attention of the individual, and this second task may be easier to switch to because it has more priority as determined by our executive control.
Regarding education, multitasking should be considered in aspects of using various cognitive levels. Using different methods of reaching the student are important in today’s differentiated instruction. The important thing always to remember is that the student has to be able to pay attention to what is being presented to him/her. Visual stimulus in combination with hearing; tactile motivation combined with visual and hearing – these are certain examples of multitasking. We are asking the brain to pay attention to various stimuli at the same time, and in many cases, one of those stimuli, if not all, are a way of reaching the student.
Multitasking is not a sin, but it should not be a way of life. Many of us live very stressful lives, but that should not mean that everything should be done at the same high speed, or while doing various other tasks. There are certain things that do deserve the full attention of an individual, especially if those things are the ones meant to relax.
