Once upheld as the ultimate form of productivity, multitasking has been getting a bad rap lately. And rightfully so; research suggests that we tend to get work done about 30-50% more slowly when we multitask*. Though the pitfalls of multitasking are well-known today, I always like to test things for myself.
Before I started working at Taiji Zen, I worked at Google facilitating classes related to positive psychology. In one of the classes we debunked the multitasking myth with a fun exercise. If you’re interested, you can try it now:
Timing yourself with a stopwatch, write the following word and number combination (below) first using Method 1 and then using Method 2. Compare the difference in time between the two methods.
M U L T I T A S K I N G I S A M Y T H
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19
(If you don’t have a stopwatch handy, use this online version: http://www.online-stopwatch.com/)
Method 1:
- Start your stopwatch
- First write ‘Multitasking is a myth,’ then write the numbers 1-19 below it.
- Record your time
Method 2:
- Start your stopwatch
- First write M, and then below it write 1; U then 2; L then 3; etc., until you’ve written the whole thing.
- Record your time
What times are you recording? Post your results in the comments section!
I’vealways been disdainful of the concept of Multitasking. It’s so middle management.
Method 1: 19.0 sec
Method 2: 24.1 sec
it is indeed a myth.