Why multitasking leads to stress

Question for you & your team: Are you single tasker or multitasker?

Let's talk about multitasking! Imagine you have about 40 tabs open on your computer and you are working on all of them from time to time, in between a team call, an email and constantly some feedback on Asana... You can imagine that with every additional window open the system slows down. #systemoverload 🤯 Makes sense, right?

Maybe now you also catch yourself writing mails and checking Whatsapp frequently on the side in status meetings or conference calls? Sounds like you're an absolute multitasking genius, but studies show that multitasking doesn't increase productivity, it decreases it. What increases is the stress level and this long unconsciously. This is what happens in the 🧠: Task switching instead of multitasking Your brain is supplied with up to 300 impulses of your nerve fibers per second. With information about what we see, hear, smell, whether we are sitting, whether tissue is damaged somewhere, etc. But this information is only stored for a super short time. That's why our brain only ever consciously perceives excerpts - the ones that are relevant to us, all other stimuli are actively blanked out. In this way, we concentrate on the important information. So if you try to do everything at once, you won't get anything done right. Unless learned actions run automatically, for example when we talk on the phone during a walk.

1. multitasking causes stress - The focus switches back and forth between tasks again and again fixed and constantly loses the red thread and must take it up again. This overwhelms us and leads to the release of stress hormones. Your 🧠 is practically dancing at all weddings at the same time.💃 Without multitasking: You are more relaxed and less stressed. Have more fun at work and have energy left over after work for things you enjoy.

2. multitasking leads to low productivity - Each task switch costs double time. The time for switching between tasks and the time until you fully concentrate on the new task. As a result, it takes longer to accomplish tasks in parallel than it would if you did them one after the other. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that the brain is up to 40% less efficient when we multitask. If we do the math, we can gain up to 16h in a 40h week by not multitasking. Without multitasking: you are more productive and can achieve more in a short time. Quitting work early and still having the most important tasks done sounds good, right?🍻

It takes longer to do them than if you do them one after the other. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that the brain is up to 40% less efficient when we multitask. If we do the math, we can gain up to 16 hours in a 40-hour week by not multitasking. Without multitasking: you are more productive and can achieve more in a short time. Quitting work early and still having the most important tasks done sounds good, right?🍻

3. quality suffers and you make more mistakes - Every time you switch between two tasks, you create an attention deficit. Part of your attention stays on the old task for a certain period of time. You can't immediately concentrate on the new task with full focus. Observe this! Without multitasking: the quality of your results is better and you make fewer mistakes.🙄

So far, so powerful: So in reality, the brain can't do multiple tasks in parallel. It has to jump back and forth frantically, which leads to more stress, fatigue, and mistakes on the bottom line. So focus in one place on one thing until it's done. Maybe sit down somewhere else for your next activity along with your laptop - this change of environment signals the brain for a new task and can free up additional resources. Be sure to address constant Asana accessibility in your team as well. It should be possible to work through tasks without being interrupted! Courage to #singletasking instead of #multitasking! Learn to assess tasks in the team and know the limits of your attention. And here again: Relaxation! Doing without multitasking needs training. Let's go!

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