The Folly Of Multi-Tasking

Some years ago, we witnessed a radio station where the giant control board had the AM station on the left and the FM station on the right side. One DJ did a music show on FM while doing a ballgame and scoreboard inserts on the AM station. Yes, digital made that situation better and eliminated the dead air and missed commercials noted on both broadcasts.

Your e-mail, smartphone, digital audio and text messages all have the veneer of efficiency. But, studies show the folly of doing too many things at once. A 2009 Stanford study opened the door by challenging the assumption that multi-tasking made people more efficient. That project clearly demonstrated multi-taskers are more easily distracted and have trouble keeping details separated in their minds. Another study showed that recovery time needed to refocus averaged 10-20 times the length of the interruption. Now ask yourself: Do you really want your surgeon

multi-tasking? How about your children's school bus driver?

We're big believers in daily closed-door time, and a new article in Forbes magazine casts even more light on the value of shifting from a business "culture of now" to a "culture of when" that allots proper time for daily functions. You can read the Forbes article here.