The Art of Multitasking – Writing Sample The concept that we are capable of multitasking is faulty. As human beings we have convinced ourselves otherwise. We often attempt to do many things at once when we are short on time and have much to do. Unfortunately the truth is that this is not optimal for creating or doing anything properly. Attempting to multitask is something we do on an everyday basis but the outcome is nearly never as good as it would have been if we did things one at a time. Our minds are only capable of focusing on one thing at a time. By trying to multitask we switch our focus back and forth between multiple activities and end up sacrificing focus. Our brains are very similar to computers in this aspect. Although computers
To begin with, multitasking creates a great deal of stress and pressure for the individual. When someone is bombarded with many tasks it becomes overwhelming to try to handle them all at one time. Tugend explains that doing routine tasks are easy to multitask, but once more “cognitive thinking” is used it becomes impossible to be able to focus on both at once. Attempting to can easily cause
In the essay “Multitasking can make you lose … Um … Focus” Alina Tugend exams why multitasking can make you lose focus. Tugend explains what multitasking is in the first section she also explains why it is bad. She then brings in a professor to explain how multitasking works in a scientific way. Alina Tugend then uses case studies to show how multitasking can cause loss of focus and impairment in motor activities. She then shows how multitasking can actually delay your progress on completing projects by constantly switching to different tasks. Tugend then sums it all up by trying to teach us how to better ourselves and to not multitask.
For example, it is physically impossible for your brain to do multiple assignments simultaneously. According to Karen Bradley, the brain “switches gears, which takes time, reduces accuracy, and inhibits creative thought” (Document D). Therefore, the brain is less efficient working on multiple tasks than working on them sequentially. By rapidly shifting between different gears in your brain as you multitask, you are wasting time and prolonging the job. What should take you an hour to complete, will take you twice as long to finish when you multitask.
Multitasking, helpful or harmful? In Alina Tugend’s “Multitasking Can Make You Lose…Um…Focus”, Tugend explores multitasking in several ways. Explaining how we as humans sacrifice focus “shifting focus from task to task gives illusion that we’re simultaneously tasking”. Also, how our brains react to operating and trying to do more than one task at once. Only one or two visual stimulants can activate our neurons at one particular time. Lastly, how we can recreate boundaries and cope with everyday life and multitasking. Tugend reiterates several times the importance of one task at a time so we as humans can effectively complete tasks to the best of our abilities instead of giving partial focus and not efficiently completely a task. Multitasking is very beneficial at times, but more often there are significant downfalls; it is crucial we learn how to manage the downfalls of juggling tasks, events, conversations, and daily events.
Many people take pride in the fact that they can multitask. A study “Task Switching” conducted by Monsell concluded that multitasking, or switching
Growing up in a generation where technology is at our fingertips, the brain changes its organization and functioning to accommodate the abundance of stimulation forced on it by the modern world. I recognize where Restak’s logic comes from because individuals are so dependent on phones and laptops that it becomes a challenge for people to complete work on their own. People feel as if it is necessary to have an electronic device by their side, tricked into believing multitasking is an acquired skill when in reality the brain is struggling. With the constant use of extra devices, Restak suggests “multitasking”
According to Sarah D Sparks multitasking is possible, but it is difficult for one to multitask. Because it takes away your focus from one thing to another, and your brain can’t be in two place at the same time. Younger people are more generally better at multitasking than older people because working their memory tends to be more effective in their early 20s. We can’t process two task simultaneously but it would also takes more time to multitask than it would take do one task at a time. When a person tries to do two things at a time the cortex part of the brain delays decision making of the second task. People can’t really multitask without being distracted some people find it very hard to multitask efficiently.
Multitasking is not possible; the brain needs
If you take a moment to look back at a time you have tried to multitask, you would probably realize that you were not making much progress and was getting frustrated more than gettings the task done. With multitasking comes stress and
The first reason is, multitasking is a great way to get many things done. It can help you have more free time if you multitask. It could also help you have more time with family and friends. Another example is multitasking can make your parents have to do less work around the house. So what I am trying to say is
In this modern era, it has become commonplace to try and accomplish as many tasks as possible as quickly as possible in order to be more efficient. With the help of technology, many believe that multitasking is becoming a required and helpful skill. Multitasking is actually a detrimental habit. Multitasking divides a person's concentration in order to attempt to complete multiple actions. Even though in the end the tasks are all finished, the quality of the finished task and the time required to finish all the tasks makes multitasking very inefficient. In addition, this division of concentration is causing many people to not pay attention. For most, multitasking is a disadvantageous skill that should not be encouraged as a valid
In my life I choose not to multitask, it disrupts my thought process. I have to do one thing at a time or quickly get confused. I personally do not multitask, but in other cases it shows that it can affect their mental and physical capabilities. I recommend to focus on what is important. Multitask is not required to do, so I advise you not to do
While students feel they are great at multitasking, studies show that they actually perform academically at a lower level than those who do not multitask. A study was conducted by a respected research lab in Stanford University. Clifford Nass, a professor of communications at Stanford University, introduces us to a study conducted on carefully-selected high chronic students who multitask (Digital Nation). The experiment was structured for students to identify numbers as odd or even, letters as vowels or consonants. Professor Nass wanted to test how quickly these students can switch tasks without losing focus. The results showed that people who multitask are slower than those who do not multitask. While slower does not mean horrible, it should raise a sign that if they had focused on their work only they would get better scores in their respective studies. Sherry Turkle, in an interview, displayed the differences between two common multitasking activities: taking a break from your studies to stretch and surfing the web. Turkle says: “When you get up and stretch and take a walk around the block, you can stay with your problem. You can clear your mind; you can move your body. You can stay
Additionally, Lee and Taatgen (2010) stressed that multitasking is the ability to handle the demands of multiple tasks simultaneously. The multitasking is subdivided into two distinct typologies: task switching and
When talking about multi-tasking, there are always several detriments available to list. To illustrate this, the author of, “How to Do One Thing at a Time” cites classical examples of harmful multi-tasking activities such as using the phone while driving or chatting with a friend while writing an e-mail. To reinforce his point of view, the author links his claim to the opinion of scientists that affirm that, because of cognitive limits in our brain, doing tasks simultaneously often ends up with mediocre results. However, as society forces us to deal with several different responsibilities in a short period of time, multi-tasking can be an efficient way to relax while also finishing minor chores faster.