Talk on the phone while you grab a cup of coffee in the kitchen. Or simultaneously watch a TV program and scroll along the timeline on your mobile. Park and listen to the radio. There are countless examples of things we do simultaneously or in quick succession. Often careless. We do it on a large scale, but it is not recommended, say several researchers.
The American psychologists David Strayer and Jason Watson of the University of Utah did a lot of research on multitasking. They already concluded ten years ago that our brain is not made for it. You have to keep shifting your focus. Because that’s what multitasking is: switching from one task to another.
Multitasking does not exist
Professor of Educational Psychology Paul Kirschner researched multitasking and is adamant: it doesn’t exist. “We simply cannot do two things at once if we have to think about it,” he said RTL News. “Performing two or more tasks that are unrelated and do not affect each other is something only some computers can do. Humans only have one brain.”
Multitasking makes you tired (and slow)
The various scientists all say that you better leave multitasking because it really makes you tired. In addition, it also slows you down. A test in which people had to read a piece of text and then answer substantive questions produced a clear difference. The people who were not disturbed by apps on their phones knew the text within 5 minutes. The group that was distracted took more than one and a half times as long.
The two minute habit
The golden tip is obvious, but no less good: complete your tasks one by one. You make fewer mistakes and get less tired. Nutrition and wellness expert Cristina Barrous talks about the two-minute habit. Give your full attention to one task for two minutes and do it at least ten times a day. You need that to stop feeling tired.
These microstops, according to Barrous, are a way to send your brain a positive and reassuring message. They don’t get this signal if you do several things at the same time. “The two-minute habit makes you aware of what you’re doing and that you can’t do two things at once. So don’t apply cream while listening to a podcast at the same time. And prepare your food without checking your email in the meantime.”
Bron: Psychology Magazine/RTLNews/Vogue
2023-05-05 14:46:00
#shouldnt #multitask
