How to Multitask
For those of us that major in wasting time and minor in getting nothing done, the hyper-efficient workbots at Wired have some advice.
They spoke to David Meyer, a professor of cognition and perception at the University of Michigan, who is apparently some sort of expert on multitasking. He says that the brain has multiple processing "channels" -- visual, linguistic, tactile, etc -- but that some channels can do only one thing at a time.
The advice ranges from the obvious (turning off your phone ringer, closing your email, taking a break after finishing a chapter) to the rather obscure, like mixing different "channels" of activities so as not to distract from one another.
Here's a big takeaway: "Set aside time when you will not do anything at all. Multitasking can release stress hormones that hamper job performance and may eventually lead to depression, anxiety, and amnesia. Take breaks, eat well, exercise, and be sure to get enough sleep."
We'd tell you about the rest of it but we're right in the middle of cooking breakfast, scheduling a dentist appointment, and jumping rope.
From Wired
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They spoke to David Meyer, a professor of cognition and perception at the University of Michigan, who is apparently some sort of expert on multitasking. He says that the brain has multiple processing "channels" -- visual, linguistic, tactile, etc -- but that some channels can do only one thing at a time.
The advice ranges from the obvious (turning off your phone ringer, closing your email, taking a break after finishing a chapter) to the rather obscure, like mixing different "channels" of activities so as not to distract from one another.
Here's a big takeaway: "Set aside time when you will not do anything at all. Multitasking can release stress hormones that hamper job performance and may eventually lead to depression, anxiety, and amnesia. Take breaks, eat well, exercise, and be sure to get enough sleep."
We'd tell you about the rest of it but we're right in the middle of cooking breakfast, scheduling a dentist appointment, and jumping rope.
From Wired
Related Posts:
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