We have more access to communication today than ever before.
Our days are filled with constant interruptions as we get notifications by phone, text, email and social media platforms.
Our watches now notify us every time a message comes through. Meanwhile, our cell phones are doing the same thing. So are our wireless ear pieces, Bluetooth speakers and desktop computers. The bombardment of rings, dings and vibrations is on an unprecedented scale.
These constant interruptions force us to multitask. In business, we are always looking for ways to get more done in less time. Can effective multitasking help us do that? A Stanford University study shows that chronic multitasking has some very negative results as outlined in a TED video from Clifford Nass.
The Stanford study revealed that the average Stanford university student monitors three different communication platforms at one time. The human brain simply cannot comprehend and process that much short term data at one time.
As a result, students who multitask chronically get distracted and struggle to pay attention even when they want to. They have more difficulty managing working memory, which is directly related to changes in their brains. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans show significant changes in the visual cortex area of brains caused by multitasking regularly.
In addition, the time spent multitasking and monitoring so many platforms at one time has encroached on social time once reserved for building relationships. As a result, chronic multitasking can have a negative effect on the quality and depth of personal relationships with family and friends.
Simple things like going out to dinner or spending a day at the beach have been infiltrated by technology and communication devices. Maybe these would be good times to βunplugβ and leave our communication devices at home. Maybe we should unplug at work and focus on one project at a time.
