Comments on: Multitasking is a Myth

By: Shellie

Shellie — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 02:53:07 +0000

I am a major multi tasker, and I am a professional multitasker since that’s what all of my jobs have required of me to do. I was always one ot the top employees and Multitasking is actually in your mind, being able to have self discipline enough to mentally map all the tasks that are to be achieved and how the most efficient and fast way to complete them all by prioritizing them in accordance with the amount of time available and what short cuts are available to save time and physical effort to finish all tasks. Yes, you do each task individually but while thinking of the next few steps long before you get to them, is what true multitasking is. It is being able to mentally focus on future tasks while doing the one task that is priority to ensure the most efficiency. I can hardly mono task, yet I was the most efficient employee who got the best scores from customers and also had the best speed of service and was able to accomplish all tasks fully. The trick to multitasking is it takes a bit longer to get a routine down than mono task people. It basically loses the immidiate goals for the sake of a far more efficient end goal in the future. Multitaskers also run base line tests while perfecting their routines which mono taskers do not understand or appreciate because they cannot grasp more than one task at a time and fail to grasp the larger picture that is the end goal.

By: Bill Bartmann

Bill Bartmann — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:02:27 +0000

I don’t know If I said it already but …Cool site, love the info. I do a lot of research online on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks,

A definite great read..

-Bill-Bartmann

By: Steve Yastrow

Steve Yastrow — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:31:12 +0000

Tom – Enjoyed your post! Great confluence of thinking!

Here is Tom’s post: http://www.mccallumsolutions.com/home/blog/multitaskinghasaplace-butsodoesunitasking

By: Tom McCallum

Tom McCallum — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:23:14 +0000

Steve,

Just checked in on your blog as catching up on “must read” blogs for the first time in two weeks (oops).. and the thought “great minds think alike” jumped to mind (or..”fools seldom differ”…history can judge!).

Why ? my latest blog was on the same topic !

Next blog ? I guess revisiting the “golden mean” as it relates to striking a balance between “unitasking” and “multi-tasking”

See you soon in Cayman !

By: Steve Yastrow

Steve Yastrow — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:35:08 +0000

Dan – what an excellent example! Great story.

Steve

By: Dan Gunter

Dan Gunter — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:25:10 +0000

I once did a demonstration with a group that is in this same line of thought.

Using five volunteers from the workshop participants, I had one person be the “multitasker” and the other four serve as “tasks.” The “tasks” lined up in a row in front of Mrs. Multitasker. On the count of three, I had all four “tasks” say their middle name out loud. I then pointed to each task, one at a time, and asked Mrs. Multitasker to tell me the person’s middle name. She did not get one right.

I stated the point of the lesson as this: if you can’t even pick up on a single word or name from multiple sources simultaneously — just ONE name from each — how can you expect yourself to truly focus on and perform well on multiple complex, involved tasks simultaneously. I got at least a half-dozen emails over the next couple of weeks from people who said they had taken the lesson to heart, started handling things in more “serial” fashion (what a mutual friend of ours once called “serial monogamy”) and they were actually feeling MORE productive and getting better results. Not to mention their stress levels had dropped (by their own accounts.)

Why do you think I have not been blogging or spending any time catching up on other folks’ blogs lately? I’ve been focused on taking care of my clients and giving them my fullest attention. It’s working. August was a record month for East Alabama Media.

By: Andy Thorp

Andy Thorp — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:11:28 +0000

Your comment about engaging with kids reminds me of something about the so-called Generation Y (don’t think that’s Y-astrow!). Those born since the mid-80′s have grown up in an environment saturated with information and multiple forms of entertainment. Some commentators say they tend to thin-slice things, going in skin deep and hopping from topic to topic. With only 4 TV channels to choose from years ago, I could immerse myself in a programme but with 200 at my fingertips now I’m always thinking about what I’m missing elsewhere.

I had a client today bemoan the fact that he met people at networking events but they didn’t respond to his follow-up call. I suggested he’d not really gone deep enough with that initial encounter to make that new person feel a meeting was worthwhile. I asked him to be more in the moment with that first meeting, rather than wondering what the next person might bring.

I sometimes think my kids get bored because they’ve too much to do! Too much choice and thin-slicing perhaps?

By: Steve Yastrow

Steve Yastrow — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:04:28 +0000

Corrin – Sometimes I fear that the behavior we’ve modeled for our kids is that it is ok to be disengaged and just skim over the surface of things. Pretty scary. Thanks for the insight.

By: Steve Yastrow

Steve Yastrow — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:02:51 +0000

Andy … it’s a great point … if you’re so worried about what you are going to say, you will miss the chance to “be in the groove” of the event. When it’s you’re turn to speak, you’ll, in essence, just be showing up to a meeting that everyone else is already at.

By: Corrin Howe

Corrin Howe — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:08:50 +0000

I appreciate your thoughts. I wonder about the future of relationships as well, especially when I watch my teenage son and his friends. It makes me crazy to when then answer the phone or text when I’m talking to them. My son I can control a little bit, but not the friends. I know it makes them feel like they have a lot of friends, but do they really? Are all these people going to be there for him in the middle of the night and he’s in trouble? Or is it going to be Mom and Dad, who actually force him to relate to us for a few minutes without the TV, phone, computer and/or video games?