When you’re a young person interviewing for a job – whether it’s a summer job at a fast food restaurant or an entry-level position after college graduation – you are often advised to tell them “I’m good at multitasking” when asked about your strengths. But is this really something you want to highlight? And is anybody actually good at it? It is true that the day-to-day responsibilities of many jobs involve writing emails, contacting people by phone, and handling several projects at the same time, but it is usually to the detriment of the organization. So that begs a few questions: What are the limits of multitasking? Is it possible to go too far? When can multitasking work and when does it open you up to failure? We explore these questions and discuss why, on the whole, multitasking is not as effective as it might seem.
What is Multitasking?
Multitasking involves performing several activities simultaneously, such as editing documents and checking emails while trying to Zoom with colleagues. But according to psychologists, the human brain was not intended to shift gears and accomplish every task at the same time. In fact, it can even be counterproductive since it results in doing every task poorly. Take the above example of editing, reading emails, and engaging with colleagues on Zoom. Because the individual isn’t fully concentrated on a matter at hand, they could potentially miss a few typos, not fully grasp the information in an email, and fail to pay attention to the discussion on Zoom. These failures can pile up and even put the person’s job in jeopardy.
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Multitasking: Is It All It’s Cracked Up To Be? 