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Become 28% More Productive By NOT Multi-Tasking
The younger the worker, the more that they think this is a true statement: “I can do several things at once without it hurting my productivity.”
In fact, there is a big discussion over a Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist Blog about what managers “shouldn’t tell twentysomethings”, and it includes the attitude that “I can listen to my iPod at work and function just as well as without it”.
Just for the record, it isn’t Ms. Trunk that’s saying that. She’s apparently lent her blog to a whiny twentysomething. Why? I don’t know. You’d think she’d lend it to a crotchety old recruiter like me instead, wouldn’t you? Perhaps you should e-mail her and let her know…
Sorry. My ADD is kicking in again.
To get back in track, here is a newsflash for the multitaskers of the world: “…a core limitation [of the brain] is an inability to concentrate on two things at once….”
That’s not from me, that’s from honest-to-goodness scientists. What’s more, they say that you can get 28% more done by stopping the multitasking.
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS MULTITASKING
The scientists that I’m referring to were quoted in a New York Times article (free registration required, hat tip to a crazed Microsoftie).
And here’s a little quote for the young whippersnappers in the crowd:
Several research reports, both recently published and not yet published, provide evidence of the limits of multitasking. The findings, according to neuroscientists, psychologists and management professors, suggest that many people would be wise to curb their multitasking behavior when working in an office, studying or driving a car.
Hey! iPoddies! Didja hear that? “While working in an office”.
I know that it’s going to be hard to understand for the generations (including mine) that have grown up constantly doing homework in front of the TV, “studying” while listening to music & IMing friends, and watching DVDs in the back seat if a trip is over 5 minutes long, but your work is suffering.
The human brain, with its hundred billion neurons and hundreds of trillions of synaptic connections, is a cognitive powerhouse in many ways. “But a core limitation is an inability to concentrate on two things at once,” said René Marois, a neuroscientist and director of the Human Information Processing Laboratory at Vanderbilt University.
So, what? Do we lose a tiny bit of performance to multi-tasking? Turns out, no:
The productivity lost by overtaxed multitaskers cannot be measured precisely, but it is probably a lot. Jonathan B. Spira, chief analyst at Basex, a business-research firm, estimates the cost of interruptions to the American economy at nearly $650 billion a year.
That total is an update of research published 18 months ago, based on surveys and interviews with professionals and office workers, which concluded that 28 percent of their time was spent on what they deemed interruptions and recovery time before they returned to their main tasks.
(emphasis mine)
Ladies and gentlemen, that’s over a quarter of your time blown to multitasking. In other words, you can get 28% more done by doing one stinking thing at a time!
So, shut off the iPod, shut down the IM, and turn off the cellphone. You’ll be amazed (as will your boss) at how much you’ll get done.
Enjoy the Search!
-Dan
—–
Daniel R. Sweet
Chief Cook-And-Bottle-Washer / Technical Recruiter
FRACAT.com - Free Resume and Career Toolbox
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July 25th, 2007 at 10:44 am
I agree that multi-tasking isn’t always best, but I don’t think listening to music on your iPod qualifies as multi-tasking. Just last night I was in such a work flow that when I was finished I realized I had been listening to music, but I had no idea what. I had gone through two CDs worth, which became background noise contributing to my productivity. Other times music helps me get excited about a project. Nothing wrong in that.
July 25th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Rebecca,
Thanks for the comment!
According to the scientists, it depends on the kinds of music you’re listening to while you’re working. From the article:
“These experts have some basic advice. Check e-mail messages once an hour, at most. Listening to soothing background music while studying may improve concentration. But other distractions — most songs with lyrics, instant messaging, television shows — hamper performance. Driving while talking on a cellphone, even with a hands-free headset, is a bad idea.”
So, basically, music without lyrics: good. Music with lyrics: inhibits productivity.
I, too, have used music to get me excited before doing some task, but this is specifically dealing with *during* the task.
Dan
July 26th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Hi, Dan. Thanks for linking to Brazen Careerist. You guys don’t have to email me about letting Ryan blog on Brazen Careerist — I’m coming right here to talk about it :)
I let him blog because I learn so much from his perspective and I assume that if I’m learning a lot, other people are, too.
Re music at work. This strikes me as a totally irrelevant discussion. If your employee wants to listen to music, fine. If she doesn’t get her work done, fire her.
If she gets her work done, the music doesn’t matter.
Penelope
August 1st, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Penelope,
Thanks for coming by!
The discussion on music seems to be more about what is “outrageous” for your boss to suggest. Are the employees entitled to do whatever they want or is the boss the boss?
Agreed that on a practical level, most business tasks don’t take 100% of your concentration, so you’re probably not losing anything (though that changes as you move up the ladder). However, if the boss thinks that it hurts work performance, the boss has the right to restrict it.
And if the employees (who are getting paid to do certain work, right?) don’t like it, there are always other workplaces.
I encourage people to leave bosses like this because perhaps they’ll learn what’s important in management and to stop the crap. That being said, they are still the boss.
Dan