Does Multitasking Make You More Productive?

Description

Does Multitasking Make You More Productive?

A whole generation of web workers has been raised on the idea that the more activities you can do at one time, the more of a productivity superstar you are. But is the ability to juggle Facebooking a friend; scanning an email; texting on your cell phone and tweeting about your latest technology tip — all at the same time — really such a good idea?

According to a recent study published in the August 24 edition of “ Proceedings of the National Academy of Science s ” by Stanford researchers Clifford Nass , Eyal Ophir and Anthony Wagner , the answer is an unqualified “no.”

Nass said the idea for the study came about because he would see students who seemed to be amazingly skillful at multitasking and wanted to learn what their secret was.

Nass and his colleagues began their research by locating a group of 100 students composed of both “high multitaskers” and “low multitaskers.” The high mutitaskers were those who routinely used four, five or more media at one time (texting, reading email, chatting on the phone etc.). The low multitaskers used, on average, no more than two media at one time. The goal of the study was to see which elements of multitasking the high multitasking group performed better at, when compared with the low multitasking group.

“We were shocked to find out that the high multitaskers did worse ...

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http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/11/02/does-multitasking-make-you-more-productive/

http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/11/02/does-multitasking-make-you-more-productive/