Rapid Task Switching
Lately, I feel so exhausted sitting at my computer all day, working. I know, total first world problem. But it’s true. So much screen time is making me tired. And making it hard for me to focus because I am forever trying to multitask when I am on the computer, even though I am NOT a good multitasker (and don’t even pretend to think I am a supertasker).
I starting thinking about this because I saw this blurb in Men’s Health (some tip from a Nutritionist… that is not about nutrition, weird) and I loved that they called multitasking what it really is – rapid task switching.
There is something strangely exhilarating about rapid task switching – I am switching between gchatting, texting, emailing and reviewing documents. Maybe someone will call in between! A ton of programs are open on my computer. It’s a rush, to be doing so many things back and forth. Time goes by quickly. But… it’s probably even more rewarding when something gets my full attention. When I reach that elusive flow state. When I really dive in to something. And yeah, give it the full attention it deserves.
It must be some strange compulsion to feel like I constantly need to be engaged. Even on a phone call, I find myself wanting to check Facebook, read an email, whatever. And like, I said, I am NOT a multitasker! My only successful multitasking is eating while running, and talking to a passenger while driving. But my brain just can’t think of two different topics, simultaneously.
And I wonder if this is why I AVOID concentration tasks. I am just not good at it. I am constantly looking for a distraction. I have really been enjoying taking the time to read novels lately… and now that I type this, I remember that Steven was teasing me the other day for texting and reading at the same time. Ha ha.
I am not going to pretend that I am going to change any time soon. I like feeling engaged. And being a mostly virtual employee means I have lots of interruptions (ha, being any kind of employee means that). But I would like to practice focusing on tasks better. I think it would make me dread focus time less, it I could build some confidence in that area. Hey, at least I am off to good start with trying to make texting less distracting!
Who else is guilty of “rapid task switching”?
Themocracy
I am TOTALLY guilty of this. I feel like I get ADD and am always switching from one thing to the next, and sometimes I forget what I was doing originally- whoops! I partially blame it on multiple computer monitors- but I only have two at work haha!
I was totally going to write that in the post (but didn’t want to drag it out) – how often I forget what I was doing. I am just trying to do too much. Kind of sad though, because it’s creeping over in to non-work life, where I go downstairs to grab something and forget what it was 😉
Is it wrong that this post made me want to text you to chat, on top of everything else I’m doing? Ha!
I am soooo guilty of this. I’ve found that while I’m working I’m most successful if I play Netflix on my phone because them I can’t use it for anything else – just background noise. (Note: I choose shows I’m not terribly interested in or that I’ve seen already.) I’ve thought about getting one of those apps that sort of freezes you out from your phone for a certain period of time… but not yet.
Ha ha ha. Email me! When you have time. Or respond to this.
Sounds like you found your own little lockout device on your phone with Netflix. Steven streams all day long when he works, too. He has a separate monitor for it. You guys are definitely above me in multitasking skills in being able to do that! I can’t even listen to music! 😉
Oh geez. Guilty as charged as well. I jump all over the place. Cannot watch TV without reading a mag or playing a game on the iPad as well. Don’t know how I ever sat in an office (in the old days) and worked with no distractions.
TV IS SO BORING! That is why! I can barely sit through a movie, too. I hate it when I am bored in the theater. Or WORSE – at a concert. What is wrong with us?!
Totally guilty. Especially at work. Often I’ll forget what I orignally set out to do before I opened 3 new web browsers and checked the text on my phone…
Believe it or not, I started this comment about 10 minutes ago, stopped to do something else (ok, 5 other things) and then came back to finish.
Sometimes I wonder how I even keep a job.
Stop neglecting Data!
I’m very guilty of rapid task switching! Joey is always amazed by how many tabs I open every time I’m online. He can’t handle it! Ha!
I think I would much rather devote a chunk of time to something for awhile, then take a break and do something else, and then go back to doing the main thing. I get overwhelmed if I have too much going on.
My entire job consists of rapid task switching, so yeah, I’m pretty good at it. But I hate it, so there’s that.
This is one of the reasons I gave up Facebook on my phone…I think I need to give up Facebook, period. That just sounds so HARSH. LOL
Harsh to you or harsh to your friends on it?! I think you should do it. I want to, but keep it because I use it with the place where I work for personal training. If it weren’t for that, I would be off!
To me!!
Have you tried the Pomodoro method? It’s basically breaking your work into 25 minute chunks with a 5 minute break. There’s a whole methodology behind it, but I just like committing to 25 minutes of work at a time. It sounds ridiculous that I can’t do that without thinking about it, but it’s really nice to turn off my phone/wireless and do work for a solid period of time. Supposedly, once you get “the hang” of it, it makes you less anxious about your workload and more productive over all. I have a little application-timer on my computer, but I think you could just use a kitchen timer/countdown on your phone too.
I have not tried it, but that sounds fantastic, and I think I should. And you wrote a post about some of your anti time waster techniques earlier this year, right? Thanks for suggesting it!