Multi-tasking Doesn’t Work!
By Shaun McCloskey on Jan 8, 2012 in Lifeonaire Principles
One of the questions I get asked ALL the time comes in a few different forms:
How can I have more? How can I become more? How can I do more? Live more? BE more?
People want to know how to get more, and they assume it involves adding more. But that is absolutely NOT true. In this video, I want to share with you the one key ingredient that is going to drastically change your productivity this year. This key absolutely applies to at least ONE thing in YOUR life!
13 Comment(s)
By Vicki McCloskey on Jan 8, 2012 | Reply
Since I’ve retired I’ve noticed that one of the things I do the most is stay on the computer way too long. So, since your comments I have decided to only turn my computer on at the end of the day rather than at the beginning. It’ll be a tough thing to change for me, but I know I’ll get so much many more things accomplished.
Thanks Shaun…excellent video!!
By Andrew K. on Jan 8, 2012 | Reply
Shaun,
This is good stuff! Although I’ve been around only a short while – I definitely can attest to the fact that we as humans are more accessible, and barraged with distractions and marketing messages than ever before. I’m guilty party #1 in this area. Thanks for making us aware so that we can start to change our ways and live MORE.
By Shannon French on Jan 8, 2012 | Reply
Hey Shaun, great video! Thank you! I keep reading things that state getting rid of something negative is the equivalent and/or as powerful/effective as adding 5 (that’s FIVE) positive things. In a sense, the impact of negative things is far more powerful that the positive. Can be kind of a bummer until you use this information on human nature to your advantage…exactly like what your video is all about!…the removal of something negative/distracting/deterring you from your goals/vision/quality of life. Very inspiring video to watch as Keith and I are about to declutter two of our rooms today so we can have a welcoming, relaxing sanctuary to retreat to. Thanks, Shaun! (PS, I do admit that I’m going to share this on Facebook and then go clean our rooms! LOL!)
By Marion on Jan 8, 2012 | Reply
So happy to hear that I am right!!! I got rid of the cell a few years ago. And now only check ocassionaly.
Limiting e-mail to early in the am and move on is also my practice.
I am way more productive. I am sending this to my husband who can’t understand why I am not on the cell phone 24/7.My kids are adults….I can’t do anything that 911 can’t do.
I was about to buy an e-reader….I will but it will be the bare bones reader….no e-mail and other fancy DISTRACTORS.
Thank you Shawn.
By jp moses on Jan 9, 2012 | Reply
Well said, Shaun. Thanks for the challenge. ANd also I found your post when I checked my email first thing this morning. And watching it distracted me from planning my day. Thanks a lot, jerk face.
By Jason Wojo on Jan 9, 2012 | Reply
Great vid Shaun! Very true and great insight! However…technicality I think you should have called this “Eliminating Distractions for Maximum Results!” or something similar. lol.
In the future I’d love for you to do a video on true multi-tasking for those of us who tend to take on multiple projects or read several books all at once and then end up not finishing anything!
By Shaun McCloskey on Jan 9, 2012 | Reply
I love these comments! Keep em coming!
Vicki, (Mom), this dumb computer can hold onto us like nothing else can. I think it can force us to stay in and do a lot of nothing. With you just retiring, it’s even easier to get sucked in. The problem is that it also do anything for real life. I wonder how much more often we would all just be outside DOING things, living life if there were no such thing as computers or TV. Seems like that’s what the majority of people spend the majority of their time doing any more.
Shannon, I never really thought of it that way, but I have to agree 100%. It seems like every time something negative happens, I do need about 5 good things to happen to balance it out. I wish that wasn’t the way it works, but it does seem to work that way.
Marion, you’ve got the right idea!
JP, I love you, and I did this video just for you because I know how you have no focus. It shows in your work.
Jason, that made me laugh! And you’re probably right!
By DORN on Jan 9, 2012 | Reply
Some of us work on the computer and facebook. I feel it is all about moderation. These things are tools but they cannot become a crutch. This is good stuff especially the emails and the facebook.
I also time block and turn these things off so I can totally focus upon what I am doing. Are you familiar with the strategic coach Dan Sullivan? If not check him out.
By Chris Marshall on Jan 10, 2012 | Reply
Thanks for the great video. I took FB off my phone right away. I’ve also been convicted by something about multitasking in the car with my phone. Pulling over to make calls (or making them before I leave) is a pain, but I’m not that important. I did use the phone today when I was lost, but I’m really trying to stick to it.
Here’s an excerpt that I posted on FB:
But how do you learn to do that? How do you learn to think? Let’s start with how you don’t learn to think. A study by a team of researchers at Stanford came out a couple of months ago. The investigators wanted to figure out how today’s college students were able to multitask so much more effectively than adults. How do they manage to do it, the researchers asked? The answer, they discovered— and this is by no means what they expected—is that they don’t. The enhanced cognitive abilities the investigators expected to find, the mental faculties that enable people to multitask effectively, were simply not there. In other words, people do not multitask effectively.
And here’s the really surprising finding: the more people multitask, the worse they are, not just at other mental abilities, but at multitasking itself.
One thing that made the study different from others is that the researchers didn’t test people’s cognitive functions while they were multitasking. They separated the subject group into high multitaskers and low multitaskers and used a different set of tests to measure the kinds of cognitive abilities involved in multitasking. They found that in every case the high multitaskers scored worse. They were worse at distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information and ignoring the latter. In other words, they were more distractible. They were worse at what you might call “mental filing”: keeping information in the right conceptual boxes and being able to retrieve it quickly.
In other words, their minds were more disorganized. And they were even worse at the very thing that defines multitasking itself: switching between tasks.
Multitasking, in short, is not only not thinking, it impairs your ability to think. Thinking means concentrating on one thing long enough to develop an idea about it. Not learning other people’s ideas, or memorizing a body of information, however much those may sometimes be useful. Developing your own ideas. In short, thinking for yourself.
You simply cannot do that in bursts of 20 seconds at a time, constantly interrupted by Facebook messages or Twitter tweets, or fiddling with your iPod, or watching something on YouTube.
Bless you!
By Jason Wojo on Jan 10, 2012 | Reply
One other thing that might be helpful is finding the right time to do these “recreational” tasks. For example, when I’m walking on the treadmill in the morning doing my cardio, I find that to be a great time to talk on the phone or check emails. I also find the car a great time to make my calls.
Now it could be argued that those times could be filled with something more productive like listening to replays of the Ask The Flip VIPs (plug!) or that new Tony Robbins course I just got (thanks for the rec Shaun), which are fun and great, but also remember that fostering relationships with friends and family are very important so those need nurturing (i.e. time) as well.
By Paula on Jan 10, 2012 | Reply
Shaun,
Really good stuff here. I’ve got too much on my plate taking away from my main focus and distracting me. While I can do more than one venture, I can only do ONE thing at a time, in that moment and your reminder here confirms that.
My GOAL: To stay focused on the task at hand until completed and NOT be distracted by outside influences.
Thanks for the confirmation and support with this idea and concept. Have a great 2012!
By Shaun McCloskey on Jan 14, 2012 | Reply
Jason,
I agree with you 100%. As a matter of fact, since you brought up Tony Robbins, he calls what you’re talking about “NET Time” which stands for No Extra Time. I think it’s a great use of time to use treadmill time to listen to educational stuff. As a matter of fact, it’s when I exercise that I learn the most! To be honest, I am bored to death running on a treadmill. But if I can run on the treadmill while learning about something I’m really passionate about, I almost forget that I’m running on a treadmill. Next thing you know, running on a treadmill went from being a mundane task that I don’t like, to something I rather enjoy.
By Joe Gilder on Jan 16, 2012 | Reply
You’re talking my language, Shaun. Reminds me of when Tim Ferris first blew my mind in 4-Hour Work Week.
You mean I can NOT check my email 24/7 and life doesn’t come crashing down?!?!?!!?!?!?!??!?
Umm…yes.
And things actually work a lot better.
Glad to find your site, dude!