12 November,2009 11:43 AM IST | | Soma Das
If you puff your chest at the thought of juggling five tasks at a time, you might want to minimise that Internet Explorer Window, switch off your mobile phone and listen to some telling facts on how in fact, multi-tasking murders productivity
There was a time when work meant going to office. So, when you left office, you left work behind.
Say that to a professional today, and it's likely that he'll laugh in your face, all the while punching keys on his Blackberry.
He shoots off emails while lunching, calls clients while commuting, and messages the lover while pottying.
u00a0
Ironically, after all this juggling, work still doesn't seem to get done. As technologist Linda Stone aptly said, "We're so accessible, we're inaccessible".
If you don't juggle, you are slow
So, although Zen masters will tell you that when you drink tea, you should only drink tea, in the corporate world, if you don't juggle, you are labeled slow.
Savita Rijhwani, Senior Account Executive at an ad agency, says she has no choice but to multi-task.
She has 8 different windows open on her computer screen at all times and ends up clearing mail while she is stuffing herself with a sandwich at her desk.
"If I did one thing at a time, it'd take me two days to finish what I do in one. It's another thing that some tasks get messed up in the process," she admits.
Multi-tasking kills productivity
Corporate trainer Anita Shantaram often gets approached by professionals who complain of lack of focus, and heightened distraction, a classic sign of the attention deficit syndrome generation.
Some are unable to carry on a coherent conversation or task at hand without drifting into other thoughts. "Most of us can only do justice to one task at a time.
What is accrued as multi-tasking is actually attempting to do one task while worrying about the next one, which kills productivity and breeds stress."
A 2001 research by the University of Michigan showed that human capacity for multitasking has its limits and participants lost time in performance speed when switching tasks, and lost more time as the task became more complex. They grew tired and ultimately created more work for themselves.
Shantaram says prioritising is key. Divide tasks into very important, important and can do later. Attack one task and strive to complete it in a fixed time. Keep your phone on silent, non-vibration mode when you are with family.
The moment of truth for 4 workaholics
Bunty Rohira, Advertising and Strategic Planner
How long are you willing to wait for your computer to boot?
a) 10 sec; b) 30 sec; c) 1 min
How many windows do you have open on your computer screen at a time?
a) 2; b) 8; c) 12
What do you tend to do when you eat lunch at office?
a) Surf the net;u00a0 b) Make a call; c) Just eat
Vidhi Mehra, Entrepreneur
How long are you willing to wait for your computer to boot?
a) 10 sec; b) 30 sec; c) 1 min
How many windows do you have open on your computer screen at a time?
a) 2; b) 8; c) 12
What do you tend to do when you eat lunch at office?
a) Surf the net;u00a0 b) Make a call; c) Just eat
Akshat Jain, PR Professional
How long are you willing to wait for your computer to boot?
a) 10 sec; b) 30 sec; c) 1 min
How many windows do you have open on your computer screen at a time?
a) 2; b) 8; c) 12
What do you tend to do when you eat lunch at office?
a) Surf the net;u00a0 b) Make a call; c) Just eat
Candice Pinto, Model
How long are you willing to wait for your computer to boot?
a) 10 sec; b) 30 sec; c) 1 min
How many windows do you have open on your computer screen at a time?
a) 2; b) 8; c) 12
What do you tend to do when you eat lunch at office?
a) Surf the net;u00a0 b) Make a call; c) Just eat
At your desk asanas to help you focus
Shameem Akhtar Yoga Expert
Shoonya Mudra (Void hand Gesture)
Method: Ideally done seated and with eyes shut. Press the tip of the middle finger with the thumb. Do for each hand. Hold for a minimum of three minutes.
Benefits: It calms you down immediately, provides relief in anger and anxiety and boosts mental focus.
Trataka (Yogic focusing exercise)
Method: Hold your right hand in front of you. Extend the thumb, folding back other fingers lightly.
Ensure hand is at eye level, look at thumbnail and then switch focus to the nose tip. Repeat 5 times and rest your eyes. Switch to the left hand.
Benefits: Boosts mental focus and helps patients with sleeping disorder.
Multi-tasking can give you diabetes
Dr Anjali Chhabria Psychiatrist
Research reveals an alarming connect between juggling tasks and diabetes. Multitasking leads to intolerance, affects your sleep, appetite and could lead to an early burnout.
It leaves you susceptible to stress-related disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and hypertension.
WHO statistics indicate that stress-related disorders have increased over the last decade and 25% people (1 in 4) visit doctors for stress-related ailments.
