Wayne clicked off his cell phone with a sigh of relief. The call had interrupted him and went longer than he expected. Now he needed to complete the report that was due tomorrow. Fifteen minutes passed. Wayne tried to ignore a half dozen email and text pings. But perhaps he could use the time best by checking his messages. Soon he looked up and his 11 o’clock appointment was due to arrive any minute. Wayne had been busy all morning, but all he had to show were a few texts, a cleared email inbox, and brain drain. What had he accomplished by multi-tasking?
Multi-tasking has long been embraced as a cure-all for productivity. Like many of us who strive to be more productive, Wayne uses the “I’m multi-tasking” excuse. But does it really help you get more done?
No.
Multi-Taking Makes You More Productive? It’s a Myth
Such is the emphatic declaration in a recent study by TNS Research commissioned by Hewlett Packard. The mental impact of trying to balance a steady inflow of messages with normal work took its toll on participants. When workers were distracted, their IQs fell by 10 points – the equivalent to missing a whole night’s sleep and more than double the 4-point fall seen after smoking marijuana. In fact, researchers learned, changing tasks more than ten times in a day is counterproductive. Quite simply, the relationship between multi-tasking and productivity is a myth.
It Applies Spiritually, Too
And the multi-tasking myth is not exclusive to our work. Multiple activities at one time can be detrimental to our spiritual health, too. When Peter walked on water but took his focus off Jesus, he began to sink (Matthew 14:25-31). Too many simultaneous “spiritual” pursuits can pull down our relationship with Jesus, rather than build it.
Once Wayne learned the truth – that multi-tasking not only doesn’t work but can even be damaging – he changed his approach. He worked in 60-90 minute segments. Breaks became part of his routine. He checked his email just two or three times a day.
Rather than working to make every minute “count,” Wayne worked “smart.” And guess what? He got more done.
