Have you bought into the myth of multitasking? If you have, you may think that multitasking is a good skill to have. Be warned! Multitasking can have serious consequences.
Stick around to discover the consequences of multitasking and what you absolutely must know before you damage your marketing productivity.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[00:36] Intro
[01:27] What is Multitasking
[02:10] People Can Multitask
[03:30] Why Multitasking is a Myth
[05:22] Consequences of the Multitasking Myth
[08:31] It’s Time To Stop Multitasking
[09:26] Bloopers
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Brain Rules by John Medina
[Theresa] OK. So, as Meghan already knows, I’ve had this episode in me for quite some time now. I’ve not done it sooner because, truth be told, I was afraid that it would turn into a rant. That’s not helpful! LOL
[Meghan] Oh yeah, the topic of multitasking is one that definitely riles her. Theresa has gotten on a small soap box in a few of our episodes about this topic! Let’s see if she can avoid the rants today.
[Theresa] Have faith, my friends. We are sticking to facts today. There’s a lot to say, so we’re going to get right into it.
What is Multitasking?
[Meghan] So, what IS multitasking anyway? Well, you’re probably thinking that it’s doing multiple things simultaneously. And, you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. But the story behind multitasking is a little more involved than that.
[Theresa] The term multitasking first came on the scene back in the 1960’s. It was used by IBM to describe the capabilities of its latest computers. But even then, the term wasn’t quite accurate.
Computers, then and now, do not work on multiple tasks at the same time. Rather, a computer switches very quickly between tasks. So, even the name is a myth.
People Can Multitask
[Meghan] It wasn’t too long after the term came on the scene that multitasking became associated with humans. And guess what? Human beings actually can multitask.
We do it all the time. You can snap your fingers and tap your foot. You can walk and talk.
[Theresa] That is absolutely true. What human beings can’t do, at least not very well, is FOCUS on multiple things at the same time. Let’s use the example of walking and talking.
You’re out on a nature walk with a friend. And you’re walking and talking. No problem. Suddenly, you come to a stream that you have to cross, but your only option is to walk across a narrow log.
You will naturally stop talking because your brain needs to focus on crossing the log safely.
While we could get into a lengthy conversation about the brain, we won’t. Suffice it to say that your brain compartmentalizes certain tasks, like breathing for example.
[Meghan] Right. There’s no competition between your breathing and anything else. It’s autonomic.
However, the part of your brain that is responsible for focus can’t share resources with the multiple tasks that require it.
Yet, many people believe that they are amazing multitaskers. Sorry! It just isn’t true.
Why Multitasking is a Myth
[Theresa] Yep. I’m afraid not. Only about 2% of the population is adept at multitasking. The rest of us fail miserably, even though we think we do it well.
The reason being that our brains are not built for doing two or more things at once.
[Meghan] The myth of multitasking is that you can get more done. But—news flash—that’s not the case for 98% of us.
When you multitask it can take 50% longer to complete a task. (Source: Brain Rules by John Medina)
So, multitasking has the exact opposite effect of its intention. You will not only accomplish less but also see a reduction in your marketing productivity.
[Theresa] For sure! Actually, if you’re a heavy multitasker, your overall productivity decreases by 40% and your IQ can drop by up to 10 points! That’s insane.
Yet, you insist that multitasking is the way to go. And, it’s not a surprise.
The ability to multitask is listed as a desired skill on almost every job description. And heavy multitaskers are often admired for their seeming ability to juggle all of the balls in the air.
But don’t be fooled. According to a Stanford University study, heavy multitaskers underperformed light multitaskers in every test they administered. They found that heavy multitaskers
Couldn’t filter out irrelevant information
Were unable to organize their memories and
Couldn’t help thinking about tasks they weren’t doing
[Meghan] This means that when you have three things in front of you, you can’t focus on just one.
Consequences of the Multitasking Myth
Let’s put it this way. When you attempt to multitask, you’re never really working on two things at the same time. You are switching between tasks or context switching.
So, when you are trying to do one of those tasks, your brain will keep pulling in information from and for the other tasks that you’re switching between.
There are tons of bad consequences when you try to work this way.
You Lose Tons of Time
[Theresa] That’s right. One consequence is that you lose tons of time when you multitask.
We mentioned earlier that it can take up to 50% longer to complete a task as compared to simply focusing on that one task.
[Meghan] And, if you’re a serial multitasker, think about how much time you’re losing. It’s no wonder you feel overwhelmed and like you’re not making progress!
More Mistakes Are Made
[Theresa] Not only do they take longer to complete work, but heavy multitaskers make 50% more errors. And, you know what that means?
[Meghan] I do! That means more lost time redoing work. Which is the same as wasting time, which you KNOW I despise.
[Theresa] She really does. I also want to point out that the errors you make due to multitasking can have far more serious outcomes than lost time.
When it comes to your marketing productivity, you could attract the wrong audience or even waste money when mistakes are made in running marketing campaigns. Can you imagine?
[Meghan] Yes I can. Because it’s happened to me! And, I don’t want it to happen to others.
While you can never get back lost time, mistakes in your marketing can have sizable consequences to your business. These can be a lot more difficult to correct, especially if you start to lose the trust of your audience.
So, think about that the next time you’re multitasking in an effort to improve your marketing productivity.
You Get More Easily Distracted
[Theresa] Great point. Another myth of multitasking is that you’re more focused. Actually, the complete opposite is true.
Have you ever been “in the zone”? You know, when you’re so super focused that you just feel like you’re on fire? The work seems to come so easily and you crush your output. That’s what happens when you focus on one thing.
[Meghan] You can’t ever get into that flow state when you multitask because you’re constantly distracting yourself. That makes it impossible to focus.
[Theresa] Exactly. And as I’ve said before. If comparison is the thief of joy, then distraction is the thief of focus and productivity. End of story.
[Meghan] We need that on a bumper sticker! 😉
To support Theresa’s point, studies have shown that you spend 2.1 hours a day in distraction. Then it can take an average of 23 minutes to refocus your attention onto the original task. That’s a lot of lost time.
This is more evidence that you’d make far more progress if you’d just stop multitasking and focus on one thing at a time.
It’s Time to Stop Multitasking
[Theresa] Look, we get it. Who wouldn’t love to get more done in less time? But, that’s a myth of multitasking.
[Meghan] That’s right. The quantity and quality of the work you do will suffer if you multitask.
There’s no magic pill to getting more done in less time. Your best option is to just do less. Less of everything and more of the right things.
[Theresa] Ah! You’re speaking my language.
Plus, that’s a good note to end on.
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