Multi-tasking can make you lose… um… focus…

As a woman I pride myself on my ability to multi-task. I’m sure you men are tired of hearing the fact that women are supposed to be so much better at it. However, a recent article in the New York Times has made me think twice. Perhaps Multi-tasking is passé – maybe single-tasking is the future!

In the article it refers to a 2005 study, which found that people were interrupted and moved from one project to another about every 11 minutes. And each time, it took about 25 minutes to circle back to that same project.

A further study found that people actually worked faster in conditions where they were interrupted, but they produced less. It was also found that people were as likely to self-interrupt as to be interrupted by someone else. Observers noted that after every 12 minutes or so, for no apparent reason, someone working on a document would turn and call someone or e-mail (I have already moved away from my computer about three times whilst writing this!)

The study found that after only 20 minutes of interrupted performance, people reported significantly higher stress, frustration, workload, effort and pressure. But a further article by a Dr Hallowell says that despite our belief that we cannot control how much we’re overloaded, we can. “We need to recreate boundaries,” he said. That means training yourself not to look at your BlackBerry every 20 seconds, or turning off your cell phone. It means trying to change your work culture so such devices are banned at meetings. Sleeping less to do more is a bad strategy, he says. We are efficient only when we sleep enough, eat right and exercise.

The author of the New York Times article suggests that the next time the phone rings and a good friend is on the line, try this trick: Sit on the couch. Focus on the conversation. Don’t jump up, no matter how much you feel the need to clean the kitchen. It seems weird, but stick with it. You, too, can learn the art of single-tasking.