The Devil in Disguise: Multitasking

 In this article, Amy (2nd year SL psychology student) explores the myth of multitasking and how to become more productive!

  

Student life can become extraordinarily busy: with classes, homework and extracurriculars needing more time than there are hours in the day - thank goodness for multitasking, right? The skill of being able to perform more than one task at the same time (Mirriam-Webster online dictionary definition of multitasking) is often seen in a positive light as a way to be more productive and efficient by juggling multiple activities at the same time. But as research has shown that multitasking can be detrimental to our concentration and output quality, is it worth it?

It is relatively common among students to watch or listen to something while doing work or studying, but Cynthia Kubu, who has a PhD in neuropsychology, says that instead of being the multitasking martyrs that we think we are, we are in actuality “doing individual tasks actions in rapid succession, or task-switching”. This leads to less overall efficiency and a greater likelihood of making mistakes - so multitasking is actually less productive than doing tasks individually. Watching a movie at the same time as completing a big assignment could cut your productivity by as much as 40% as your brain switches focus between each task. Kubu also states that “if we’re constantly attempting to multitask, we don’t practise tuning out the rest of the word to engage in deeper processing and learning”, so multitasking can affect our focus even when we are only doing one task. 

So, hopefully you now understand that you need to cut multitasking out of your daily routine in order to get more things done and avoid harming your ability to concentrate. But what should you do instead? Here are some tips on how to get started and avoid multitasking! 

• Try studying using the pomodoro method: a time management system wherein you do 25 minutes of work followed by a five minute break

• Use your breaks! By allowing your brain to detach from the tasks you have to do by taking a walk or reading a chapter of a book, you allow it to become refreshed and ready for the next activity, and over a long period you can avoid burnout and motivation deficits. 

• If you listen to music while doing work or studying, avoid songs with lyrics as your brain dedicates a part of itself to auditory inputs such as lyrics and lose focus. I highly recommend listening to game or movie soundtracks, instrumental songs, classical pieces, or ambience tracks.

• It has been shown that switching tasks can keep the brain fresh and focused when done concurrently rather than at the same time - after 30 minutes of maths homework for example, switch to 30 minutes of research for the Extended Essay. 

• Use technology to your advantage when possible! There are many apps and browser extensions that can help you stay on track. One of my favourites is the ‘Forest’ browser extension (prevents you from opening certain websites, such as youtube, that you have blocked for the length of your study session). Marinara’s ‘Pomodoro Assistant’ extension is also good for this. 

• Set specific goals for what you want to get out of your time. Eg. ‘In this 50 minute pomodoro I want to finish studying the ecology subtopic’. This way, you can remain motivated to finish a task in order to get to the reward at the end. 

• Find a quiet, uncluttered space so that your mind isn’t prompted to wonder by its surroundings. Especially, find somewhere without a TV and put your phone somewhere out of reach to induce a state of focus. 

With a heavier workload and ready access to distractions such as the TV or your phone, the urge to multitask can be difficult to overcome, but it is vital to keep our brains fresh and focused, so follow the above tips to stay on track! Give your brain a break 🧠💘