There is No Such Thing as Multi-tasking

Everyone thinks they can do two things at the same time: listen to a lecture and text, check text messages/email and review lecture notes, read your textbook and watch television.  The truth is that your attention is just bouncing back and forth between two (or more!) things.  You are much more efficient if you do just one thing at a time, and then do the next thing.

 

Here is an experiment you can try that I do in my classes:

 

1. Write these two lines, but the first time write them alternating letters and numbers (M, 1, u, 2, t, 3, I, 4….).  Time yourself to see how long it takes to do the two tasks in this way.

 

Multi-tasking is worse than a lie.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11….28

 

2.  Next, first write the complete sentence and then the complete list of numbers and time yourself again.  You will see how much quicker you wrote both the second time.

 

This is just a small illustration of how, when you try to do two things at the same time, you do not do either one well.   This carries over to your studies and distractions.  You need to give your full attention to your work, save the other things until you are done.