Multitasking is a skill in doing several activities or jobs at the same time. Multitasking often done to save time. But in reality, multitasking are often inefficient and can even be detrimental to health.
Literally, multitasking means double duty. This term is not only used by people who work in the office, but also everyone who does various jobs at the same time, both children and housewives.
Not a few people think that doing several activities or jobs simultaneously will save time and energy. In fact, the reality is the opposite. Multitasking often consumes more energy and reduces the quality of work.
Definition Multitasking and Examples
Have you ever walked while replying to a short message on WL or eat while reading? If you have, you can be said to be a multitasker. As previously mentioned, multitasking is a person's ability to do several jobs at once.
The work can be done at the same time or move from one job to another. Actually, the term for doing work on a shift is referred to as task switching. However, people often think of the two terms as having the same meaning.
The most common reason why people do things all at once is to save time. Completing work one by one, such as stopping walking and pulling over to reply to a short message, will certainly take more time.
Therefore, many people work simultaneously because it is considered faster. Some more examples multitasking in everyday life are:
- Study or work while eating
- Cooking while watching TV
- Talking while playing on the device
- Reply to text messages or pick up the phone while driving
Multitasking Will Lower Work Productivity
While doing multitasking, the brain will work stronger to focus and concentrate in order to complete the job or activity well. In fact, the brain can generally only focus on one thing at a time.
When the brain starts to get tired of working, the power of concentration and the ability to focus on various jobs or activities will be disrupted. This can reduce the quality of your work.
In addition, you may also need to redo the work because there are many mistakes made while undergoing multitasking. This makes multitasking is not something that can make something efficient.
Contrary to what most people think, multitasking turned out to be completely useless in saving time. Doing two jobs simultaneously, it will take longer than doing it one by one.
In addition, doing work multitasking can also invite danger, for example when you are driving a vehicle while talking on a cell phone. This will reduce your concentration in driving, making you prone to accidents.
Multitasking in the end it's bad for yourself
Not only does it make you overwhelmed with unfinished work, here are some other effects of multitasking on health:
1. Trigger stress
Several studies have shown that habits multitasking can interfere with the mental health of office workers and students. People who often do multitasking tend to be more stressed and anxious.
This is because multitasking can make the results of office work or school assignments to be of poor quality or even not finished because it takes too long to do all the work at once.
2. Increase blood pressure
There are studies which state that multitasking can affect the performance of the heart and blood pressure. When doing multitasking, the body will work extra and release more stress hormones. This can trigger an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety.
3. Interfering with memory
Doing 2 things at the same time not only risks losing important details in the task, but also interferes with short-term memory.
A study stated that multitasking can cause memory impairment, both short-term work-related memory (working memory) or the ability to retain and remember information for a long period of time.
4. Decrease creativity
Doing work with multitasking makes the brain work harder. A study shows that this condition can reduce the ability to think creatively because the brain capacity is already full.
For a worker who requires creativity and imagination, of course this can have a negative impact on his ability to work optimally.
5. Increase the risk of accidents
Multitasking it can also be dangerous, for example when you are driving or walking while doing other activities, such as talking on the phone or typing text messages. This keeps you from paying attention to your surroundings, increasing the risk of an accident.
Instead of forcing yourself to do all the work at once with multitasking, you should make a priority scale of work so that you can better organize your work and be free from stress. This can increase time efficiency and maintain good quality of work.
If you experience stress or other health problems due to frequent multitasking, try to consult a psychologist for help.