It seem that we are quite similar in some sense. I hate it when I lost my focus due to interruption and I got to waste time to refocus again to my previous task. It seem like a waste of time.

@Hi ICE,

I believe one man’s meat is another man’s poison.

@Hi Clinton,

I prefer using sequential methods to get things done too. One thing at a time is definitely the way to go for me too.

@Hi Ian,

I understand where you are coming from. There are people who can multi task well and kudos for them but I believe I’m more suited to single tasking.

@Hi Broderick Allen,

I try to cut down on opening multiple tabs as it tend to distract me. For example when I am working on my new article, I wouldn’t open multiple tabs with facebook and such to prevent me from clicking it. I found that this new habit help me to keep my focus and in the end I could finish the article sooner than expected.

Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger

I’m not sure I agree though that it’s a universal truth. I know plenty of people who are terrible at multi-tasking and plenty who are really very good at it. I think it’s a masculine / feminine thing (I don’t mean men/women) with the feminine being to hold attention across a wide number of different things and the masculine being more narrow and focused. Just a thought.

Ian

Yes, it’s true that multitasking dwindles your productivity. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it, but when you look closer you can see that nothing is getting done. It’s also hard to regulate progress because things are spinning. As you said, it’s also not to great on your health either.

I find that multitasking completely cuts your productivity in less than half. Just think, you have the TV on, and you’re also coding a complex script. Your mind isn’t being split evenly, 20% of your attention is on the TV, the other 20% is on your code and the rest(60%) is battling for control.

However another ordeal comes up. It’s not always as easy as turning off the TV. Sometimes you’re in a busy place, people are constantly making noise. It just gets hectic. Sometimes you just have to do your best to stay focused.

Other times you NEED to multi task just to get through a day. However it is rare. If I have a lot of stuff to do one day, I’ll plan it sequentially, instead of trying to do everything at the same time.

I try never to multi-task because I get so much more done when I’m focused. Sure it seems like lots is getting done, because you’re busy. But at the end of the day, nothings been accomplished. So it’s best not to multi-task, if you can help it.

Great post, really enjoyed the read!

Regards
Clinton Skakun

I wish more people would realise that multi-tasking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

I’ve worked in administrative roles for several years, something which many people think requires an aptitude for multi-tasking but I find I work best when I single task & work sequentially through a list of priorities, and if I’m interupted by a phone or urgent email, I’ll just focus on that for the amount of time it requires and then re-focus on what I was doing before. When I’ve attempted to multi-task I’ve found that I’ve been more prone to making mistakes, like posting something to Australia by accident