Multitasking is a myth, part 47

Recently, I have been asked to provide sources for my point that the human mind is incapable of multi-tasking and trying to force that is counter-productive. Check out this article from the CIO Magazine archives.

Why More Is Less - Reality Bytes - CIO Magazine Sep 15,2003: "But there's a problem with multitasking. Not only does it take a personal toll on employees, it also doesn't work.

In a February Wall Street Journal column, writer Sue Shellenbarger cited a growing body of research evidence that indicates multitasking actually erodes, rather than enhances, productivity. As people divide their attention between two even seemingly simple tasks—reading their e-mail, for instance, while talking on the phone—comprehension, concentration and short-term memory suffer. Switching from one job to another doesn't work any better. Research indicates that that eats up more time than waiting to finish one job before beginning the next—an inefficiency that increases as the tasks at hand become more complicated. Toggling back and forth between a review of the fine print on a vendor's service-level agreement and a discussion about the amortization of next year's IT investments with your CFO over the phone? Not a terrific time-saving strategy after all. "