Traps That Come with Multitasking

Multitasking may be the way of life in today’s high-octane, fast-paced society, but it’s a two-edged sword. One side carries the benefits, and the other side has the pain. Do you know how to avoid the trap and pain that can come with multitasking?

Recently, I was in the middle of juggling multiple balls at the same time when I was interrupted.  After the interruption, I returned to what I was doing. One of the tasks was typing an email. It seemed fine. Send. Then “uh oh!” I remembered I had not proofread it. I quickly went to the emailed copy in my Sent Folder and saw an error in the first line. “Dare” instead of “Dear”. I stopped and resent the corrected email with this note attached: “Disregard my initial email. Multitasking can be the root of poor quality.”

Multitasking is the approach of simultaneously working on and switching between multiple activities within a short time in an attempt to move all of them along a path of progression. The objective is to increase our productivity.

Benefits of Multitasking

There are many benefits to intentional (controlled and not reactive) multitasking.

• Agility: Agility in handling multiple responsibilities at once. It’s a skill that every leader needs. Leaders are expected to juggle many balls. Just don’t let any fall.

• Efficiency: Handling multiple activities simultaneously improves efficiency, especially if the tasks are simple, like repetitive tasks, and do not require much concentration.

Traps & Misconceptions to Multitasking

According to a study by the American Psychology Association, doing more than one complex task at a time can take a toll on productivity.

We can fall into the trap of habitual multitasking believing the misconception that it’s the only way to increase our productivity.

Here’s how multitasking can affect our work.

• Dropped balls from missed deadlines and commitments.

• Declined Performance from doing a job that is incomplete or of poor quality.

• Reduced Memory. A decade-long research by Stanford University found that heavy multi-taskers have reduced memory.

• A slow start after an interruption. It takes a while to get back up to speed. That’s because of what’s referred to as Attention Residue. That means the previous task continues to occupy our cognitive resources for a short while, even after quickly switching to a new task.

• Stress. Need I say more? The American Institute of Stress found in a survey that over 80% of U.S. workers feel stress on the job, and a high contributor is juggling a high workload and multitasking.

While it seems that multitasking guarantees increased efficiency and productivity, it becomes a trap that can affect our work when it involves complex tasks needing sustained attention. However, there is a way around that trap. It’s called focus.

How To Avoid The Traps That Come with Multitasking

It is possible to multitask without falling into the trap. To do that, you must focus on the activity you are trying to do. This means dedicated time to getting it done right. Simple things can cause your brain to engage where you don’t want and when you are not focused. In my email faux pas above, I stopped right after my cursor moved to the “Send” button. When I returned, it appeared that’s what I was about to do so I naturally pressed “Send.” Inadvertently. That was not my intention before the interruption.

• Focus on delivering results versus doing activities. It’s more important to complete a few projects right rather than doing a lot of activities poorly.

• Minimize switching. Did you know it takes an average of 23 minutes to get back on task after an interruption? That’s according to a study by the University of California at Irvine. You will suboptimize your work if you frequently switch from one task to another.

• Use time in your favor. If you have to get multiple things done at once, time yourself to focus on one activity. When the time ends, wrap it up nicely to give yourself a natural starting point when you pick it up again. Move on to the next timed activity.

• Ask for a raincheck. If possible, renegotiate a commitment if a deadline is forcing you to multitask.  It’s also ok to delay interruptions. Ask the person to hold the joke and come back later.

• Declutter. I’ve heard it said a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, and you can’t think straight if your mind is cluttered. It’s easier for me to focus if my desk is clear. Using order and organization can increase focus and minimize the need for multitasking.

There are many benefits to multitasking, a skill that is essential for leaders. However, the traps can lead to outcomes such as, inefficiencies, poor quality, and stress. It is, therefore, important to be mindful of the downsides and strike an intentional balance between multitasking and focused attention.

Empowered Leader Reflection

How do you avoid the traps that can come with multitasking?

We would love to hear from you in the reply section below.

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