Singletask Your Way to Success

Do you experience multitasking stress? Multitasking has become standard procedure for many people in a society that expects you to work and work and work. If you’re like many people, you have too much to do and not enough time to do it. So what do you do? You attempt to multitask to get everything done on time.

The question is: How does multitasking work for you? Does it get the job done faster and better? You already know the answer.

In recent years, scientific studies and personal experiences have demonstrated again and again that multitasking doesn’t really save time. Even worse, multitasking takes a heavy toll on productivity and your brain.

Read more to find out why multitasking doesn’t work.

Do you attempt to accomplish more by doing several things at once? In our culture of multitaskers, you’re unquestionably not alone.

But here’s a news flash if you haven’t already heard: Multitasking doesn’t work. In fact, it decreases your productivity by as much as 40%. Additionally, it lowers your IQ and shrinks your brain — reducing density in the region responsible for cognitive and emotional control.

Skeptical? Don’t be. Acclaimed researchers and neuroscientists around the world, including those at Harvard, Stanford, and the University of London, have plenty of proof.

Likewise, consider the personal, economic, and social toll of distracted driving. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31% of U.S. drivers ages 18-64 report they had read or sent text or email messages while driving within the last 30 days. Worse, a whopping 69% report they had talked on their cellphone.

So what’s our stressed-out society to do? Simple: singletask.

By singletasking you’ll be more productive and present. Plus like any other skill, singletasking can be learned or relearned over time. Soon enough you’ll be singletasking your way to success and sanity in your life, career, and relationships.

Here are six ways to get started:

1. Recognize that multitasking doesn’t exist.

Your brain is incapable of simultaneously processing separate streams of information from multiple tasks. That’s because there’s “interference” between the two tasks, says MIT’s Dr. Earl Miller. So, in actuality, multitasking is a myth. What you’re really doing is task-switching — moving rapidly and ineffectively between tasks.

Discover five more ways to get started on singletasking your way to a peaceful life at mindbodygreen.  By Devora Zack

[Original Post October 7, 2015]