The Hidden Dangers of Multitasking

Multitasking is hailed in some quarters as the key to true efficiency and improved time management, both at home and on the job. Yet, when we consider the danger inherent in talking on a cell phone while driving as an example, we know that it has its downside as well.

The Art of Multitasking
One formal definition of multitasking is "the concurrent performance of several jobs by a computer."Over time, the term has morphed into something more, and it is now commonly applied to people in the work force as well. With this in mind, after commenting on the many demands made on our time and energy today, author Alison Overholt asks, "How do you stay sane when you are insanely busy? You become very good at multitasking."

Our fast-paced society considers multitasking to be not only normal but absolutely necessary as well, since our very survival seems to depend on it at times. As author Ellen Ullman said in an Op-Ed piece to the New York Times, this skill "has become the hallmark of a successful citizen of the 21^st century."

While the need for mastering multitasking is great, experts are discovering that its pitfalls are many as well. We are not machines, and it behooves us to proceed with caution into this fairly uncharted territory.

Balancing the Multitasking Craze

Managing your time well will ease your stress and make multitasking less of a necessity for you. Many high-powered executives use the following techniques, a mixture of the classic and the newly popular, as alternate ways of strengthening their effectiveness on the job:

- Develop a system of dealing with e-mails that works well for you, be it handling them as they come in (if feasible) or checking them twice a day.

- Deal with each hardcopy of a memo or report as soon as it comes in. Shuffling papers is a real waste of time, and you won't have to worry about not responding promptly if you make this your policy.

- Let courtesy rule whenever you meet with someone, and eliminate any interruptions from your pager or cell phone.

- Learn to use instant messaging. As teenagers know, it's new and easy to use. It can also prove to be an effective communication tool if it is not overdone