Negative Effects Of Multitasking

Clay shirky, a professor at NYU brings this matter to life through his article “Why I just asked my students to put their laptops away” provides us with a more in-depth look at this issue. Shirky states that “People often start multi-tasking because they believe it will help them get more done. Those gains never materialize; instead, efficiency is degraded. However, it provides emotional gratification as a side-effect.” Although the students are set out to improve using multi-tasking, shirky believes that they are in fact worsening with this view on

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.

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.

My View on Multitasking After reading two separate essays in my Reflections textbook, one on “In Defense of Multitasking” and the other “How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking” I have come across many new reasons on why I believe not multitasking may be more beneficial than multitasking. It has brought new light that multitasking actually reduces productivity, it seems to be looked at as more of an addiction to those who are short attention spanned and multitasking is also more of a necessity in order to survive in today’s workplace rather that actually being something beneficial to the individual and others around them. A conflicting viewpoint that I have come across in the essay of “In Defense of Multitasking” by David Silverman, would be that he does not have a strong start.

In “Constant Contact Is Bad for Your Health” by David E Meyer is a down and dirty article that specifies just how unhealthy multi-tasking can be for you. His warnings are dire and should be listened to, though nobody likes a harbinger. According to the author, “Excessive multitasking can lead to chronic stress, with potential damage to the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. Fatal accidents are more likely too. …. There is also an increased chance that people, especially the young, may not develop the ability to concentrate on important tasks for long periods of time, or may lose that ability for lack of practice.” (David E. Meyer 1) He is definitely not cheerful, but that’s because it is serious

My experience in multitasking has proved to be inefficient because of how much time I actually wasted in the long run. I was studying for a test I had while finishing my homework for another class while watching TV. Three tasks at once seemed crazy now that I think about it and it was the longest night I had studying. My brain did not process all of the material I had to know for the test tomorrow and I did not even finish the homework that day.

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.

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

When you multitask there is a chain reaction of starting with determination and ending with stress. A majority of people are aware that too much stress cannot be could for the body, but stress could also bring health problems. It is claimed that this bad habit tends to cause sleep problems, headaches, trouble focusing, anxiety, heart problems, etc. These side effects could eventually become a clue for other future diseases. As said in a wellness article, “It may be a better predictor for your risk of getting age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer than conventional diagnostic

Sana, Weston, & Cepeda (2013), Laptop multitasking hinders learning for both users and nearby peers. Computers & Education 62 (2013): 24-31.

Peter Bregman, the CEO of Bregman’s company, is the author “How and (why)”to Stop Multitasking”. In his article published in Harvard Business Review Blog in May 2010, he establishes the importance and effectiveness of single-tasking. He states that multitasking, in fact, reduces our productivity, being the reason why it isn't as useful as people believe it is. As well, he argues that by not multitasking people end up being unstressed, patient, and more useful with their time; demonstrating his opposition towards multitasking. Bregman implies the importance of unitasking by emphasizing the positive impact it had on his family, building credibility with his personal experiences as a CEO, and presenting facts.

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.