Multitasking Is Harmful

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.

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.

In “Multitasking Can Make You Lose...Um...Focus,” Alina Tugend examines the negative aspects and many disadvantages that occur through multitasking. Tugend begins by stating that multitasking is the norm for today’s fast paced society; however, in reality it is pulling focus from the task at hand. The author continues on to cite various researchers who express that the brain cannot simultaneously do two tasks at once and is actually just flipping back and forth between tasks rapidly. Although multitasking seems like a time efficient method, Tugend reveals, it is actually creating a large amount of stress and pressure on the individual. Furthermore, the author notes that multitasking actually pulls away from the task at hand creating a great time loss. Tugend even goes on to explain that multitasking is proving to be bad for innovation by not allowing an individual to think in depth about one task for an extended period of time. With Tugends article in mind I agree that multitasking puts a lot of stress and pressure on the individual, creates a loss in time, and is awful for innovation.

Some drivers say: “I can drive fine while texting”, “it is not big issue and it only takes seconds”, “I’m really good at it, it does not affect my driving at all “and it is totally foolish way of thinking. And that’s the problem, all of us feel capable as we think we are especially when it comes to multi tasking well with two attention demanding tasks.

We are just watering down the definition of multitasking. In my life many times we believe that we’re multitasking, but are we really mastering it. No! When I’m home listening to music, watching T.V. , and doing homework. Sure I’m multitasking, but am I mastering it. No, cause I really can’t listen to the lyrics of the song. I’m not paying close attention to the T.V. I have no clue what's going on. I’m also, not doing a good job on my homework. All this is because i’m distracted and not focus. Which means i’m not mastering multitasking. If I just really sat and focused on doing one thing at a time it will be so much better. If was just listening to music , I would know the lyrics of the song. If I was to focus just on the T.V. I would actually know what is going on. If I was to just do my homework and nothing else. I would be focusing and do my best on the assignment. So, yes I may be , multitasking ,but i'm not mastering it by any means. Also, in the classroom we did an experiment. In this experiment we split up into two groups. Group A went outside without any distractions. Group B stayed in the classroom with loud wacky music playing. Both groups were required to finish an easy quiz in a matter of a few minutes. After the time was up both groups gathered back in the classroom. And went over their quiz results group at the group without the distractions got more questions right by a landslide over group B.

most daring things people can do on the road now a days. It is a tragic practice in the United States that needs to be stopped. It’s taking many lives of peoples family and friends around the United States today. This phenomenon of texting and driving exists and it isn 't a good thing. Although many people would agree that texting and driving isn 't a safe act many still do it. Most people feel discluded from the texting while driving danger and believe that they are safe drivers while texting. In a survey done by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “55 percent of young adults thought that it was easy to text and drive.” Texting while driving is a terrible thing to be doing, it impairs your driving and leaves you not paying attention to the main task at hand, yet it is becoming more and more prevalent across the United States. If you think that you aren 't part of the problem cause you can text and drive safely, you are wrong.

There is an abundance of scary literature out there predicting gloom and doom for the millions of users of social media and smart phones. We are living in a whole new world one that goes faster than the speed of light, and we are equipped with gadgets that would have made Gene Rodenberry gasp and naturally there have been folks that fear for our sanity and ability to think rationally. These new and amazing tools that we now have the ability to not only mostly be able to afford, but to carry around in our pockets are both amazing instruments and door ways to hell depending on who you ask. All, is not lost! To quote uncle Ben from Spiderman, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” So goes my thesis. Just because we have the

I believe multitasking is not a myth because certain individuals are lack of inspiration or lack the desire to properly concur life success prime example, in today society or modern day certain people are going back to school while still working full time and proving for a growing family needs. Many people don’t believe in multitasking because they believe multitasking require is a fast paste environments and there are afraid to make a mistake or give up

After all, if a person was to learn about or concentrate on a different subject every few minutes, it would be nearly impossible to retain and remember the information. As one study discovered, "multitasking adversely affects how you learn. Even if you learn while multitasking, that learning is less flexible and more specialized, so you cannot retrieve the information as easily (Rosen 412)." Most people who multitask become so distracted by the amount of information they are trying to obtain at one time that it is actually causing the opposite effect. Multitasking makes it harder to distinguish the difference or importance between individual tasks. This means that many people either dismiss all the information gain as redundant or clump all knowledge, unnecessary and essential, together.

Plentiful people claim that they can multitask while driving, but is that actually the case? People who are on their phones while driving have the same effect that other individuals have while driving with a .08% blood alcohol level. Driving intoxicated is well frowned upon, so why isn't texting and driving, especially if it is considered an equal or greater peril to driving intoxicated? Cell phones are one of the deadliest leading distractions on the road, “Safety Council found that people talking on cell phones or sending text messages caused more than one out of every four traffic accidents,” (Oregon travel experience). The reason why this is one of the main element for

Studies conducted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that using a cell phone while driving significantly impairs a driver’s reaction time and triples the risk of being involved in a crash or near-crash, and text messaging increases crash risk by a multiple of 8 for all ages (NHTSA, 2009). Situational awareness is significantly decreased while engaging in distracted driving, and in turn inattention blindness is increased drastically creating a potentially deadly situation on the roads. A driver who is multitasking has less brain function available and thus literally fails to see or pay attention to things that are squarely in the field of vision (Texting and Driving, 2010). On the other hand there are those that may be able to multitask successfully though the challenge is

Multitasking is a common technique used by most people that is thought to be a way of getting tasks done quicker. With the need for speed in today’s society there is more that has to be done in a minimal time. But what people do not realize is that when they cram their work into a limited amount of time, it can backfire altogether. Within this paper will be an explanation of the negative side effects that may come with multitasking such as stress, physical health problems, and frequently making mistakes.

Texting while driving is 6 times as likely to get you involved in a collision on the road than drinking while driving. Even simple tasks draw a driver’s focus from the driving lane, which could be deadly. Using various forms of technology with hands on the wheel divides the driver's attention and could cause lethal collisions. Although to teens and young adult drivers, texting could be done safely if knowing when to text in the “right time” while driving, it distracts the driver’s attention from the driving lane and could cause fatal accidents and possible deadly injuries.

Hook: Everyone thinks that multitasking is good for the brain and that everyone should want that skill. Well unfortunately studies proven by scientist at the institute in Paris Santé et de la Recherche Médication found that the brain splits into two, basically splitting the attention. It was said that at the most someone can do two things at once depending on the ease of the tasks. The reason being for this is due to the two frontal lobes of the brain designed to help someone with tasks.

4). It is very difficult to do “two complex tasks” at once (Paul 5). For instance, doing email and listening to the phone. These tasks diverts the mind due to which people do not focus properly on them and results in lower efficiency. Multitaskers omit much information and it takes time to refocus on both of them. Therefore, “Efficiency can drop by as much as 40%” (Atchly par. 2). Peter Bregman mentions that in the reality, “the more you multitask, the worse you are at it” (519). It means that multitasking decrease the ability to think and focus after switch task. Multitasking not only affects the quality of the work…, … it can affect the brain’s gray matter , which is associated with memory, decision making and more” (Vito par. 8). Hence, multiple tasks results in the poor productivity.