Comments on: The sought-after skill that actually hurts productivity

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:34:26 +0000

I think that people often blur the line between the ability to handle multiple jobs/tasks (complete work on a budget, prepare to meet with an upset employee, rough draft a communication) and “multitasking” which for me is trying to do a number of things at the same time (listening to a “book on tape” while texting your best friend WHILE DRIVING on a highway!
Two different things…I think that the study – and the reports of highway deaths due to texting – bear out that being multi-faceted and flexible and well-rounded to perform work is different than trying to do a number of things at once.

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:23:13 +0000

Come on get real…people that say they are multi-taskers are full of it. Too truly multi-task, one must be able to do something in both the conscious and unconscious states of mind, at the same time.

One way a person multi-tasks is to read or type while continuing to breath. One action is controlled by the subconscious mind and the other by the conscious mind.

So stop saying that you multi-task at work, all of the jobs you do in the work environment are linear…end of story…..

By: SM

SM — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:06:03 +0000

I actually agree with this article. There are a lot of people who think they multi-task but actually run around in a panicked state and don’t focus on anything they are doing. Employees who are in control of their job (and themselves) do this more like a juggler: while many balls are in the air, they really can only focus on one moment at a time, catching the next ball, and throwing the next one up. They know the other balls are up there, but they do not panic. They see the logic of the system and control it well. I think the stats of that study focused more on anxiety-ridden employees who think they are multi-tasking by “touching” several things/projects at once, but really are not putting quality into any of them. They have an underlining fear of their job (and of losing it) which really inhibits them.

I believe “multi-task” is an incredibly misused and often misunderstood phrase.

By: RandiG

RandiG — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:59:48 +0000

JMF, I agree — at 60, the holes in my Swiss Cheese memory are getting larger every day. I make notes — but they’re usually so cryptic that I can’t even remember what they mean. So I tell my (young) assistant and she has become my memory –if she ever leaves, I’ll be in big trouble. And Cindy, I agree totally — unless your HR Department is huge and every person in it has just one area of responsibility, we all have to switch tasks constantly. I can’t imagine telling the boss, “Sorry, you’ll have to wait for an answer to your question until I finish this other task.” As the HR Department for a small company, we also handle payroll so the two of us are always busy and always being interrupted — it’s a fact of life.

By: JMF

JMF — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:29:58 +0000

Cindy,

I agree 100% with your entire statement. Thank you for wording it so succinctly. You described my days exactly!!! Glad to know I’m not just slow!

Janie

By: Cindy

Cindy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:20:55 +0000

I agree with Steve. It is more of a “switch-tasking” which is usually the enviroment I thrive in. If I only have one thing at hand I tend to get bored and distracted. I also watch t.v. and work on computer. Usually, I don’t catch the whole plot of the show so I can’t say that it works for me.

HR is all about having to “switch-task” some days almost constantly. Sometimes at the end of a day, I’ll have the same project in front of me that I had in the morning–untouched. Frustrating?? Yes but I just think it comes with the HR territory and you have to be good at it.

By: JMF

JMF — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:08:40 +0000

Thanks Tootsie!! I too have notes everywhere including my daily planner; on my computer, under my desk calander (they don’t disappear there!).

Mostly, Thanks Tootsie!!

Janie

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:02:12 +0000

I have heard of studys showing that women are better at multiasking than men. Evolution favored women who can watch over the goings on of 6 or 7 kids at a time, while also performing other functions. Men who could singularly focus, without distraction, on the task of stalking and killing dinner were favored. Personally, I have observed this difference between my wife and me. She can actually watch TV and work on her PC at the same time; I can’t even imagine that. (small sample, but holds true in our case.) I think there is a difference between actual multitasking and “switch-tasking” . . . maybe it is the frequency that you are able to switch tasks that matters. Computer operating systems begin to “thrash” when the time spent switching tasks nears the time spent actually doing tasks, and they slow down and become less productive. I think the same principle holds true for humans.

By: Tootsie

Tootsie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:00:01 +0000

To JMF, age is a fact of life, but also a challange to adapt and learn to deal with the increased stress. I make more notes than ever before and tend to categorize projects and files to compensate. From your comments, I feel that you are still a competent employee who cares about your job performance – the kind of employee I would be happy to have working for me.

By: JMF

JMF — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:33:51 +0000

At 50 years old, I find I do not multitask as well as I did at 30. My memory must be getting full as I find things “slipping through the cracks (in my brain, that is)”. I agree moving quickly from one task to another as needed is not multitasking by definition. I still find I’m not as good at remembering at the end of the day when it’s high stress and flying back and forth through things. Worse yet, my “elephant’s memory” does not work a week later like it did before. I’m not threatened to admit this as it is the truth for me. Really those of you 50-65, can you do it like you used to????