Multitasking
Definition
Mutitasking is a term used to describe the act of participating in more than one action or thing at a time. It is the opposite of Unitasking, which describes the act of focusing on a single thing at a time. Although multitaskers may feel like they are flowing between activities and being productive while multitasking, many studies have shown that they do not.[1] When multitasking, the brain does not store related memories in one place, but in small pieces. This causes performance and recall to suffer. Multitasking has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon due to the ease in which information and actions can be preformed online.
Reading a book without switching to other tasks is a useful way to get one's brain back into shape after a multitasking session. Studies have shown that without routine unitasking exercises, one's ability to focus and preform tasks may rapidly degrade. [2][3]
See http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/08/multitasking/
Related Reading
References
- ↑ Ophira, Eyal, Clifford Nass, and Anthony D. Wagner. Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 106 No. 33, August 25, 2009.
- ↑ Pashler, H. “Attentional limitations in doing two tasks at the same time.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 1 (1992):44-50.
- ↑ Rogers, R. & Monsell, S. (1995). The costs of a predictable switch between simple cognitive tasks. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 124, 207-231.
