Originally Published August 26, 2004 -- Your Wellness
Guide
Multitasking, Improve
Your Focus
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|
In
March of 2003, the Wall Street Journal printed a story that outlined
the findings of David Meyer, a psychology professor at the
University of Michigan. Meyer had conducted a study in which he
determined that multitasking, as quoted by the Journal , can “make
you less efficient and, well, stupider.”
Meyer
determined that chronic high-stress multitasking -- basically doing
too many things at the same time under intense pressure -- is linked
to short-term memory loss and reduces the brain power needed to
perform each task. Meyer’s findings also concluded that with
intense multitasking, a prolonged adrenaline rush could be induced
that might damage cells that form new memory. |
Multitasking
isn’t new. Parents are well aware of the sometimes minute-by-minute
juggling act. At the office, it is easy to be bombarded with e-mails,
phone calls, employees, and meetings at the same time. In the car,
talking on the cell phone, driving, and eating at the same time make you
slower and less responsive.
“Multitasking can be terrific when done effectively, but 95 percent of
people do not do it effectively,” says Dr. Larina Kase, who is a counselor
at the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of
Pennsylvania. “Many people think that multitasking means juggling, which
begs the question: Do you really know how to juggle? Multitasking without
knowing how to juggle will inevitably lead to dropping some balls.”
Kase says
that the fundamental problem with multitasking is that it actually
increases stress because you try to hold more information in your memory
than is possible. This can give you the feeling of being disorganized
and can cause mistakes.
“The correct
way to multitask is more like bowling than juggling: one ball and then the
next. You would not try to bowl with three balls at once would you?” she
says. “The best multitaskers are able to focus 100% of their energy on any
one task and then move on to the next one. This leads to a sense of
accomplishment rather than frustration.”
Laura Stack,
author of
Leave the Office Earlier, says that
if you have half-done projects all over your office and home, get
distracted easily, and are going in many directions, you are likely what
she calls a Butterfly. She says “Butterflies have the sensation of
having worked hard from being so busy, but they don't stay focused and
concentrate on what must get done.”
Or you might
be what Stack calls a Stamp. “Stamps, on the other hand, are purposeful
in their activities and can juggle many things. They get one thing
started, and then purposely switch to something else for a time. They know
when and why to switch back to the original task. They don't let
themselves get distracted by brain traffic, emails, or interruptions,”
says Stack.
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The
opposite of multitasking is focus. For children, Encourage Software
has created a new software program called EasyChild, that
helps young ones focus on tasks with a point system. (www.easychild.com)
|
For parents,
Debbie Glasser, the founder of
NewsForParents.org, says that a key
principle is prioritizing. “Ask yourself ‘Can this wait?’ If it can,
let it go. Always put safety first.”
For the
office, it’s often a matter of controlling your time. Says Kase, “Let’s
say that I’m trying to write an article and respond to e-mails.
Spend 10 minutes to respond to e-mails. Then work on the article until a
designated time has passed or until you finish a specific task. Then go
back to the e-mails. It will give you a sense of accomplishment -- and
you will be more efficient.”
Here are
some additional ways to effectively task your life:
Know What
Can Distract You
-- make a list of emergency and temporary distractions that would be
okay. Otherwise, stay focused.
Turn Your
Phone To Voice Mail
-- if you need the time to finish a project uninterrupted, then
temporarily turn off all interruptions like phone calls and e-mails.
Tell your assistant that you need a period of uninterrupted time, and
close your office door.
Keep Your
Priority List In Front of You
-- start each day with a list of priorities. Put stars next to the to-do
items that must be completed. Remind yourself in moments of
distraction where you need to keep your focus.
Terra
Wellington
is a
national authority on creating a wellness lifestyle.
www.terrawellington.com
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Wellington