Is Multi-tasking Really a Good Idea?
Maybe there are people out there who can make multi-tasking work. However, for many of us, multi-tasking is really distracting.
Think about it. If you are writing an article and catching up on blogs, you will tend to switch back and forth. First you read a blog on your Google Reader and while you wait for the next blog to load, you start writing. You get started on the first paragraph of the article, then check the blog again. At this point, one of your kids comes in, begging you to read a story. So, you balance a book on your knees, reciting the story for the millionth time, skimming blogs and typing with one hand. Sound familiar?
The question is, how much do you really get done this way? If you are at all like me, you end up jumping from task to task so much that you don´t actually get things done. Sure, you might finish reading all the blogs on Google Reader, but that´s the fun stuff!
What happens to the slightly harder work? It tends to get done in bits and pieces in the background while we tend to the more interesting stuff and work in the pauses.
Multi-tasking might sound like a great idea, but it can really kill your production. Why not try an experiment? Try working your regular method one day, then work in blocks the next day. That is, just work on one task until it is finished. It´s boring, but I´ll bet you find yourself being far more productive.
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