The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
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The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
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Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#2Original source: http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-myth-of-multi...
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#3"You can multitask? Fine. Then read a book and write one at the same time." -David Weinberger, 1999
Obviously (the excellent) William James predates this by some time, but within the context of the modern era, this sort of thing has been discussed long before the Hallowells and Ferrisses of the world made their careers by repackaging old notions.
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#4Ironically, I struggled to stay focused on reading this article through to the end as notifications from Sparrow and HipChat kept appearing in my periphery vision.
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#5Ironically, I have a feeling that this is falling off the front page so quickly because most people don't have the time/interest to read through a 6-page PDF.
I'll pick out the paragraph that sticks with me the most:
> Then again, perhaps we will simply adjust and come to accept what James called “acquired inattention.” E-mails pouring in, cell phones ring- ing, televisions blaring, podcasts streaming—all this may become back- ground noise, like the “din of a foundry or factory” that James observed workers could scarcely avoid at first, but which eventually became just another part of their daily routine. For the younger generation of multi- taskers, the great electronic din is an expected part of everyday life. And given what neuroscience and anecdotal evidence have shown us, this state of constant intentional self-distraction could well be of profound detri- ment to individual and cultural well-being. When people do their work only in the “interstices of their mind-wandering,” with crumbs of atten- tion rationed out among many competing tasks, their culture may gain in information, but it will surely weaken in wisdom.
I've recently become very aware of the cognitive load of popup notifications, phone push notifications, etc. I went for a week during which I turned off all of these, and once I turned them on again, I was surprised by how incredibly irritated they made me, not to mention much less productive.
YMMV - I just would like us all to make these decisions consciously for ourselves, rather than passively.
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#6Ironically, I have a feeling that this is falling off the front page so quickly because most people don't have the time/interest to read through a 6-page PDF. I'll pick out the paragraph that sticks with me the most: > Then again, perhaps we will simply adjust and come to accept what James called “acquired inattention.” E-mails pouring in, cell phones ring- ing, televisions blaring, podcasts streaming—all this may be…
Thank you, once I hit that PDF I was longing for a TLDR.
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#7"You can multitask? Fine. Then read a book and write one at the same time." -David Weinberger, 1999 Obviously (the excellent) William James predates this by some time, but within the context of the modern era, this sort of thing has been discussed long before the Hallowells and Ferrisses of the world made their careers by repackaging old notions.
You can read a book and listen to music and get a good understanding of the book and know the lyrics at the same time. It requires a lot of practice and dedication, but it can be done. It's one of the underlying methods to teach yourself rapid reading.
Multitasking is not just switching between tasks. It requires tremendous effort and time to achieve it, but it can be done.
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#8This quote from James jumped out at me:
“The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention, over and over again is the very root of judgment, character, and will.”
When people ask me what the point of meditation is, this is pretty much what I tell them. You are training a certain kind of "mental muscle", i.e. the faculty James mentions in this quote.
I know that James, in addition to being a major psychologist and philosopher, studied world religions. That he would express this sentiment so plainly makes me want to find out more about his investigations (since many religious practices have a meditation component), and to see whether James himself advocated meditation.
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#9Ironically, I struggled to stay focused on reading this article through to the end as notifications from Sparrow and HipChat kept appearing in my periphery vision.
I turn off nearly all notifications on my system. Only really important things are sent to the forefront.
Re: The Myth of Multitasking (2008) [pdf]
#10Ironically, I have a feeling that this is falling off the front page so quickly because most people don't have the time/interest to read through a 6-page PDF. I'll pick out the paragraph that sticks with me the most: > Then again, perhaps we will simply adjust and come to accept what James called “acquired inattention.” E-mails pouring in, cell phones ring- ing, televisions blaring, podcasts streaming—all this may be…
While trying Not to multitask, I find it really pleasant to do only one thing at a time. First, you learn how to do several things at once, and after you master the skill –here you go –you start really appreciating ability to concentrate only on one thing. Reading papares on pros and cons of multitasking only proves this experience.