Think you do? Think again. For most people, multi-tasking isn’t possible. What we really do well is task switching, or completing individual actions in rapid succession. This is called solo tasking – what our brains are better wired for. Sure, folding laundry and watching Netflix, that you can do. But for complex tasks, especially at work, multi-tasking divides our attention so that it becomes more difficult to focus our attention, even when solo tasking. Studies show multi-tasking makes us less efficient, and we make more mistakes because we don’t tune out the world to engage in deeper processing and learning. So, on days you’re feeling overwhelmed and looking for a boost to your productivity and mental well-being, ‘one thing at a time’ might very well serve you best.
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Kolon Performance Strategies 