Do you ever feel like you are running 100 miles an hour? You're texting while you’re talking on the phone, Sending an email while you are cooking or trying to write an email while you are on the phone.
Well, the truth is you are not really multi-tasking because you can truly only give your attention to one thing at a time. Of course, there are exceptions, like walking but when it comes to things we actually need to do consciously it is nearly impossible to give more than one thing our full attention. So here are some big reasons why not to do it.
1.) You make mistakes
It's true, when you are trying to do more than one thing. You make mistakes. This could be a typing error or any other error. And of course, there is one of the most dangerous multi-tasking situations, driving!. People are even dying in accidents from trying to multi-task by texting when they are driving.
2.) It stresses you out
If you are trying to multitask then it is probably because you are in a hurry and that feeling of being in a hurry coupled with the stress of making a mistake while you are trying to multi-task is going to stress you out more. I expect everyone at some stage has burnt something on the stove while trying to do something else. Our lives are so hectic these days, do we really need to add any more stress?
3.) It’s probably slowing you down
So all this mistake making while multi-tasking probably means it’s actually slowing you down. Doing one thing at once means you are less likely to make mistakes and actually do a good job and getting the task done quicker.
4.) It’s hurting your relationships
Remember the old home phone. Well, we probably didn’t use to bring it to the table with us and start making phone calls at the dinner table. However, this is what many of us are effectively doing now by bringing our mobile phones to the table. you only have to look around in a cafe at couples or friends. Most of the time they are looking down at a device and not actually present with the person they with. People are getting distracted and you can see how it upsets people when they are not getting someones full attention.
5.) It can make you put on weight!
Yes, it really can. When we are multi-tasking while eating our brains will often not recognise that we are full and therefore may continue eating when we normally wouldn’t.
6. It’s using up your creativity
When you are multi-tasking you are probably just doing what is required and not doing it that well and when we are using our working brain to its full capacity it’s not really giving our creative brain the time and space to get creative.
7. Your memory may suffer
If you are trying to do more than two things at once then it makes sense that you are probably not going to remember either very well. For example, trying to work while watching TV. Well, you are either going to remember all the film. It’s literally impossible to do both.
8. It’s actually dangerous
Well, we all know about the whole texting and driving or people getting run over while walking and texting. We can also forget to do other things as simple as turning the stove or the iron off if things do not have our full attention.
Are you a multi-tasker? If so, what do you multitask? Do you think you are any good at it or not? Does it stress you out? Do you think by no Multi-tasking you may actually do things better? Can you see any advantages or disadvantages to Multi-tasking?