Episode 191: The Myth of Multitasking

Staying focused on a single task is so beneficial--and so challenging. This week, Shannon and Janine discuss how our brains aren't wired to multitask and some strategies for doing one thing at a time. Discussion topics include: • The soothing and healing power of a cat's purr • How hard it is to resist multitasking • The impossibility of doing more than one thing at the same time • How multitasking usually results in none of the things being attempted done well • Situations where you can truly multitask (at least sometimes) • Shannon's strategy: Placing a sticky note about the one thing she's trying to do on her computer monitor to keep her on task • Another tip: Turn off notifications • How focusing on doing one thing at a time seems more important these days than ever • Acknowledging the temptation of other things and jotting the distraction down to come back to later • The relationship between our poor memories and distractibility • The limits of our working memory • How we can (purportedly) hold only seven pieces of information (plus or minus two) in our memory at a time • How multitasking is actually rapid switching between tasks--and it takes a lot of brainpower • The benefit of staying focused on one thing until you complete it: The reward of completion! Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for links!