“Multitasking” Is Slowly Killing You
And it’s not even REAL…
For years, we have been taught that multitasking is an essential skill for success in today’s fast-paced world. We’re told that the ability to juggle multiple tasks at once is a valuable asset that helps us get more done in less time.
But recent research suggests that multitasking may be more of a myth than a reality.
In fact, trying to do too many things at once can actually be detrimental to our productivity, creativity, and even our health.
One of the most significant studies on multitasking was conducted by researchers at Stanford University, who found that people who regularly multitasked had difficulty filtering out irrelevant information and focusing on the task at hand.
The study found that multitaskers were more easily distracted, had a harder time organizing their thoughts, and was less able to remember information.
The researchers concluded that multitasking may actually be harmful to our cognitive abilities.
Another study conducted by researchers at the University of London found that multitasking can actually lower our IQ.
In the study, participants were asked to perform cognitive tasks while also trying to keep track of a series of random numbers.
The researchers found that the participants’ IQ scores dropped by an average of 15 points when they tried to multitask, which is the same amount that one’s IQ would drop after staying up all night.
Furthermore, a study from the University of Sussex showed that multitasking can also negatively impact our physical health.
In the study, participants who were constantly switching between different electronic devices had higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, and depression.
So why do we continue to believe that multitasking is a valuable skill? Part of the problem may be that we confuse multitasking with task-switching.
Task-switching refers to the ability to shift our focus between different tasks quickly and efficiently, while still giving each task our full attention.
This is a valuable skill that can help us be more productive and creative. However, true multitasking, which involves trying to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, is not possible for the human brain.
The idea that multitasking is a myth is not new. As early as 1998, researchers were warning about the dangers of trying to do too many things at once. But despite the mounting evidence against it, the myth of multitasking persists.
It’s time for us to stop trying to do everything at once and start focusing on the task at hand. By doing so, we’ll be more productive, more creative, and healthier in the long run.
Trying to do too many things at once can be detrimental to our cognitive abilities, IQ, and physical health. Instead of trying to “multitask,” we should focus on task-switching and giving each task our full attention.
By doing so, we’ll be able to accomplish more in less time, while also improving our overall well-being.
