Recently I came across a book - The Brain - thanks to the blog of my friend (Thank You German for sharing!). My attention was engaged particularly on the topic of multitasking. According to the scientific studies our brains are not designed for multitasking and while doing so our attention is declining, mind destructed and the time needed to complete the task doubles. Just watch the video!
Is it really like this?
Well... when I am observing my own experience then I can pretty sure say that multitasking is not for me. I need to concentrate and focus on one task. The reason could be that I have been taught to work/learn on this mode. At my high school times I was not allowed to do my homework while listening to the music or watching TV. My parents taught me to study in the silence and with full concentration. By virtue of the teaching of my parents I had been kept this approach to learning.
Now while I am working in the office sitting in one room with around 20 people and with 3 more people around one table there is a lot of noise out there. Yes, it is my first 8:30 to 5:30 office job and this is quite a lot different from what I have been used to before. I can feel that my mind is disturbed and the efficiency is low although I cannot say with assurance that it is because of the crowded office. The change in my work environment is not the only change in my life right now thus it is impossible to say whether the noise and constant "being online" is the reason for inefficiency.
Anyhow lets take another perspective. We might think that scientific studies reveal how the brain is working and they communicate the objective truth only. I don`t think so. A scientific theory could be invalidated just with an other scientific proof that argues just the opposite. In (neuro)psychology it could be seen quite clearly how different theories offer different approaches and there is nothing as just one true theory.
Coming back to the multitasking myth theory. Lets speculate that it is objective truth that brain is not constructed for multitasking (in present time, in our 21st century). Anyhow we should not forget that brain consists of neurons and neurons are very flexible. Neurons can connect to each other in any way and build the new structures for brain. 1 000 years ago, 5 000 years ago, 1 000 000 year ago and so on, the human brain was totally different from today`s brain. Evolution is happening all the time and the world is in the constant transformation. Change is a natural part of the life, of the life of a person or of the life of the human evolution). Thus what is natural today might be destructive tomorrow. If the path of the evolution is to move towards multitasking then suppressing multitasking today is dangerous. At the same time, if all the people stop multitasking today then the human brain will never develop the multitasking ability. For developing the multitasking ability there should be at least a bunch of people performing this procedure of brain.
In all should people ignore the multitasking today or not? Multitasking might be myth today but will it be myth tomorrow? Do you want to run on efficient mode today and to be dead as a spice in the future generations? How surprising it isn't it depends a lot what majority of people will choose, whether they will keep on multitasking or they will stop doing so. And even this might not be the answer or even close to the answer! World is unpredictable.
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3 comments:
Hi Katrina,
I do agree, that for a person, coming from a background of working in a stable and orderly environment,its really difficult to straightway get into the Technopak mode. However, i feel its more to do with how restless you are and of course if you are working with multiple Bosses!
If a person is able to learn or work in the field that he/she is interested in then the multi-tasking is because of the motivation.
Yes, of course if its otherwise then things can be quite frustrating.
Purnendu
Technopak
As this video is really an illustration, then in the book it has been explained why he says that. And to answer this question.. it is because of those same neurons and their way to work.. We just need time to switch the "task". If I remember correct, it takes about half a second. Yep, not so much, but enough in large scale. Also, it is assumed this part was not so different 1000 or 10000 years ago. Maybe 1 000 000 ago, tho, as we can breathe and walk at the same time.
For me.. Yes, brain develop and so on, but if it takes a million years to do that (multitasking came across not so long time ago with TV, internet and so on), then we have a lot of time to go and I don't know if I want to give my input to develop human brain multitasking-able someday :)
I already told, why I love this book.. Because everything written in there is scientific facts (of today.. or at least March 2008) and been published and successfully reviewed by other scientists.
PS. Cooking, singing, painting the ceiling at the same time is actually not the multitasking we are talking at the moment. Hey, if you overcook your meal 0,5 seconds, then let's be honest, it is not such a big deal :)
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