Our Western society, unintentionally or maliciously, has created many seemingly normal concepts that aren't! Being "multitasking," for example, is one of them!
Multitasking leads to errors, poor performance, and high levels of stress, which aren't good for anyone. Technological advancements, by providing us with constant and rapid access to the world, were and are good, but they have also been a mastermind behind this bad habit.
It seems like those who can be rushed and multitask are the ones who win the medal. Well, scientists studying these topics have already discovered that it's not healthy at all, and the World Health Organization also says, "Stop it." And we explain why.
The term "multitasking" is a bit misleading. In reality, the brain processes information sequentially, not simultaneously. However, because it processes information so quickly, we don't notice it and think the mind is managing everything simultaneously. But no! It's proven that when we mentally switch from one task to another (we'll give an example), there's a short pause of 0.2 to 0.5 seconds. For example, when we're driving and talking on the cell phone, even on speakerphone, what happens is that our attention shifts from "driving" to "listening" to the conversation and responding, and then back again, all in milliseconds. It's not simultaneous.
Furthermore, our beloved amygdala (which alerts the body to the stress response) also fires when we're multitasking for too long because it doesn't know what's going on; it's just being told we're doing too much at once. Therefore, stress levels increase proportionally to the number of things we're doing at once, and focus decreases... as does, of course, productivity.
If you want to start reducing your stress levels, we guarantee you can start now by avoiding multitasking! We know it's not easy, but with persistence, you'll succeed and feel the benefits right away. It may take a little longer to complete some tasks, but it's worth it because your productivity and focus will increase.
The tips here are quite simple and obvious. For example:
- Talk on your cell phone before or after driving. If possible, take advantage of being stuck in traffic to do so;
- Talk on your cell phone before or after reading or replying to emails and/or messages.
Simple multitasking, such as reading a message and stirring a pan at the same time, is tolerable. However, things like the above should really be avoided. Take care of your mind… your entire body will thank you.
Vanda do Nascimento is a therapist, coach, and mindfulness instructor at the Escola de Mindfulness Essencial , which she founded in 2016. She began her career as a teacher in 1997, graduating with a degree in Pedagogy. Around the same time, she also began studying Reiki, Meditation, and Mindfulness. She later pursued psychology and delved deeper into mindfulness to continue her struggle to manage stress and anxiety.
