Multitasking

Dr., Rabab Sobhi

 Where Multitasking done
• “The switching of attention from one task to another, the toggling action, occurs in
a region right behind the forehead called Brodmann's Area 10 in the brain's anterior
prefrontal cortex, according to a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
study by Grafman's team. Brodmann's Area 10 is part of the frontal lobes, which
"are important for maintaining long-term goals and achieving them,“
• " The most anterior part allows you to leave something when it's incomplete and
return to the same place and continue from there.“
• Because the prefrontal cortex is one of the last regions of the brain to mature and
one of the first to decline with aging, young children do not multitask well, and
neither do most adults over 60.
 Where Multitasking done
• But the ability to multi-process has its limits, even among young adults. When people
try to perform two or more related tasks either at the same time or alternating rapidly
between them, errors go way up, and it takes far longer- often double the time or more-
to get the jobs done than if they were done sequentially.
• Some might see Project Managers as essential at multitasking yet the research tells us
this is not an efficient way to work. Better to focus on one thing and get it done rather
than ten things and take twenty times as long.
 Multitasking Definition
• The term multitasking first appeared in 1965 in the IBM publication, which
described the potential of the IBM System/360.
• In computer science, multitasking is a concept of performing multiple tasks over a
certain period of time by executing them concurrently. The first CPU processors
manufactured with one core, which was responsible for all of the software
processing and its interface with the hardware. In fact, the core of the CPU processor
cannot perform more than one task simultaneously but alternates the task execution.
• The speed with which the execution of the works is alternated is so fast that it gives
the impression that the work is carried out simultaneously.
 Human Multitasking
• The concept of human multitasking began with the
development of computer science. Human
multitasking is the practice of performing many
tasks in parallel by people, as do the CPU
processors. Some examples of human multitasking
are driving and simultaneously speaking on the
mobile phone, answering an e-mail during a
meeting and reading something during cooking.
• Human multitasking is the ability of execution or a
combination of two or more tasks simultaneously
or in parallel.
 Human Multitasking
• Nowadays there is a myth, especially in the business world, which says that human
multitasking increases the productivity and effectiveness of people. In addition,
technology Colossus is trying to propagate the world the ideal image of the superman
who deals with many things simultaneously and effectively (smart phones applications,
SMS, social media, online news, Internet research, etc.).
• Everyone in daily life executes two or more parallel operations to gain some time.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to focus simultaneously on all jobs. It has been
scientifically proven that only 2.5% of people can do effective multitasking . A vast
majority of people cannot respond to that. In fact, when a man thinks that he is
multitasking, what actually he does is he successively switches the execution of two or
more operations.
 Impacts of human multitasking
• The scientific community has extensively dealt with human multitasking and its
impacts on human performance.
• Specifically, multitasking reduces human productivity. According to the American
Psychology Association (APA), the alternations between tasks may reduce productivity
up to 40%, and the more complex the task, the greater the impact on productivity. In
addition, there are more errors after an interruption of a task.
 Why humans are multitasking
• Though multitasking has significant adverse effects on human beings and their work, it
is observed that it is used because they either choose this way of work or are forced to
do it.
• There is a belief among employers that a good employee can perform multitasking
effectively. Thus, some employees choose to perform several tasks in parallel, to
indicate that they are busy. This makes them feel irreplaceable, better assessed and win
the favor of their employer.
 Advantages of multitasking

• Multitasking is considered controversial, but it does have some advantages. Especially

when it comes to easy routine tasks that have already become second nature to you, it's
a good idea to do something else at the same time. Sometimes it's the only way to do
this in a hectic office environment.
• Used correctly, multitasking gets you:
 Time saving
 Sense of achievement
 Increasing efficiency
 Advantages of multitasking

It creates resilience against distractions.

• The modern world has numerous distractions. From social media updates to emergency
emails to the latest YouTube video involving , there’s always something trying to grab
our attention. Multitasking allows people to become more resilient against distractions
because the mind is already distracted with multiple responsibilities that must be
completed.
 Advantages of multitasking

• It provides progression on multiple duties that must be performed :

Slow and steady progress is what typically wins the race. That’s what multitasking can help
someone do for multiple tasks simultaneously. When there is a specific deadline that must be met
for multiple projects, multitasking can help to make it possible for everything to be turned in on
time.
 Advantages of multitasking

• It creates a habit of adaptability :

Being adaptable to changing circumstances is more important than ever before.

Something can change in an instant and people need to be able to think on their feet,
evaluate the situation, and come up with the right solution. Multitasking naturally
requires multiple thought chains to occur at the same time, allowing for habits of
adaptability to be developed so quick, accurate decisions can be made.
 Advantages of multitasking

• It allows for sanity within a world of chaos.

There are numerous sources of information that come at people every day in a wide
variety of ways. No longer is the daily morning meeting the one place to get tasks that
need to be completed. Instant messages, emails, text messages, and other forms of
communication make it possible for anyone to get in touch with someone virtually
anywhere in the world. Instead of being bothered by a boss that’s 3 cubicles down and
distracted by their demands, anyone with an internet connection can create a distraction.
By multitasking these events, it becomes possible to create a structure of sanity in a world
of information that is truly chaotic.
 Disadvantages of multitasking
1- You save none Time :
If you think you can save time by multitasking, you're wrong in most cases. In fact, it often takes
you longer to complete your tasks. After all, when multitasking, you have to constantly interrupt
your current activity in favor of another one and get back into it afterwards.

2- It creates a lot of time loss :

The act of switching between one task to another creates a time

gap, even in those that are well versed in the skill of
multitasking. The average amount of time it takes someone to
switch tasks is 15 minutes. Our brains work a lot like computers.
You’ve got to shut down one app to open up another app or
switch between them if they both can be open and there’s no
getting around this fact.
 Disadvantages of multitasking
3- There is a limited amount of energy every day.
When a person wakes up, there is a finite amount of energy that can be
provided as output over the course of a day. Multitasking divides this
energy up and the time it takes to switch between tasks takes up even
more energy. Now add in the frustration that typically comes with
multiple distractions, the time it takes to focus down on a specific chore,
and other filtering needs and a lot of energy can be gone before anything
ever gets done.
 Disadvantages of multitasking
4- It encourages procrastination.
“I’ll get that finished tomorrow.” “I’ve got another 15 minutes.” “This
project is a little more important than that project.” Multitasking encourages
procrastination through false confidence. We believe that things don’t have
to be accomplished and can wait so we can focus on something else. Over
time, this even causes people to ignore deadlines or even project
instructions. Why does this happen? Fatigue. Multitasking causes mental
fatigue and this makes people less effective.
 Conclusion
• Unfortunately, despite the evidence, multitasking is already an ingrained
aspect in our culture and workplace. So, what can be done to counteract the
negative effects of multitasking?
• Even chronic multitaskers can learn skills that will improve their brain
function over time: Scientific recommend focusing on a single task for at least
twenty minutes before moving on to the next.
• If you must multitask, try to switch back and forth between no more than two
projects at a time; the more tasks a multitasker tries to complete at once, the
harder their brain must work — and the less likely they are to remain
productive.