Multi-Tasking is a Farce!

Everyone is trying to multi-task in the fast-paced world we live in.  But is there really such a thing as multi-tasking?  There isn’t!  What we pawn off as multi-tasking is rapidly changing bursts of focus.  The human brain is really not capable of multi-tasking.  Let me explain.

Take for example what happens when someone is walking and chewing bubble gum at the same time.  In our brains specialized areas responsible for these coordination skills are working in parallel.  These functions are happening automatically – in other words, we don’t have to ‘think’ about it.  If instead we focused on chewing, we would find it increasingly difficult to walk.  Tasks that require focus can only be processed one step at a time.  When we “multi-task” we are simply shifting the focus gears faster, but we aren’t doing two or more things at once.

Consider the work of a potter.  Their focus on the clay in front of them is critical.  Every detail must be attended to if the piece is to become what they intended.  Now imagine in the middle of spinning the wheel, the artist looks up to speak to someone.  What do you think happens to their piece?  Chances are, it starts to fall apart.  A loss of focus surely results in a mess.  How is other work we do different?  It isn't.

I don’t like the analogy, but think about how computers perform multi-tasking.  What happens is that a task is divided into segments that are then distributed to multiple processors before returning results and recompiling them.  Each processor is executing a stack of instructions in serial order.  It appears to the observer that the computer is doing more than one thing at a time, but in reality each processor is operating independently doing one task at a time.

Now be honest (and we’ve all done this).  You’re at your desk working on a document when the phone rings.  You interrupt the work to answer the phone and put it on speaker to keep your hands free.  As the person is talking, you keep typing away – ah you are multi-tasking!  However, halfway through the conversation, you lose your train of thought.  The person on the other end suddenly gets your attention with a “have you even heard what I’ve been saying?” to wit you ask them to repeat it.  Your focus had shifted from the person to the document and you missed the conversation.  This happens because the part of the brain that helps us maintain focus can only do one thing at a time.  You may be able to shorten the bursts of focus and chunk them up trading back and forth between tasks, but you’re still only doing one thing at a time.

In companies and organizations, multi-tasking is seen as a positive attribute.  But what would you say to someone who said their greatest strength was an ability to rapidly shift focus from one topic to the next without ever completing a task or maintaining quality?  That is in fact what “multi-tasking” usually results in.  When you interrupt your focus it’s very easy to lose your train of thought.  When you return to the task you stopped (even for a moment), you often have to back up a few steps and regain your focus – and that’s if you’re lucky enough to remember where you left off.  What companies mistake as productivity (multi-tasking) comes at the price of lost clarity and momentum. 

Zen masters had it right all along.  They teach to be singularly focused and mindful in everything you do.  They encourage us to focus on a task and complete it before moving on.  If you can’t complete something, then leave it in a state of rest where it is easier to pick up where you left off.  When we pile so much on our plate that our minds are bouncing around like a Ping-Pong match, we find ourselves falling further behind.  Speeding things up won’t make the process work any better.  Multi-tasking is a productivity killer!

Try being more mindful in how you approach things.  Take the necessary time to do it well and enjoy the peace that comes from knowing you have removed one more thing from your plate.  This doesn’t mean slowing down, but it does mean retaining focus.  If your phone rings next time and you can’t afford to stop what you’re doing, let it ring.  If you choose to pick it up, explain to the other person you need to complete something and call them back.  Being singularly focused is how our brains work.  If you’re looking for productivity, choose to focus. 

Duane Grove is founder of Connect2Action, a strategy execution specialist at the intersection of employee engagement and executive leadership, igniting innovation as a lever to accelerate your growth.  Follow Duane on Twitter @connect2action and connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+.  Learn more by visiting www.connect2action.com.

You can follow his blogs at:  mindfulperspectives.blogspot.com and connect2action.blogspot.com