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Multitasking hurts performance and may even damage the brain (2018)

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Re: Multitasking hurts performance and may even damage the brain (2018)

#153

Post by greshario »

29athrowaway wrote: post #147

> "That is why animals are incapable of contemplative immersion—either they are eating or they are copulating." I think there are many humans that fit into this description.

This guy has clearly never looked at an actual animal, like a dog dozing in the sun or a dolphin surfing along a wave for fun.

Re: Multitasking hurts performance and may even damage the brain (2018)

#154

Post by not2b »

Quekid5 wrote: post #150
not2b wrote: post #148

For a developer, I think multitasking between two tasks (a higher priority task and a lower priority task that can be worked on while the higher priority task is blocked or waiting or otherwise stuck) is manageable and can work well. Beyond two the task switching cost gets too high in a hurry. It's also not good if management/customers are insisting that both tasks are very high priority, it's too stressful to juggle…

I'm not sure that's multitasking per se. That's just prioritizing or triage. You're still working on a single thing at a time.

But that's exactly what a multitasking OS does. When the current task is waiting on I/O, it switches to the other task. It executes one at a time (at least, once per core).

Re: Multitasking hurts performance and may even damage the brain (2018)

#155

Post by lanstin »

not2b wrote: post #154
Quekid5 wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that's multitasking per se. That's just prioritizing or triage. You're still working on a single thing at a time.

But that's exactly what a multitasking OS does. When the current task is waiting on I/O, it switches to the other task. It executes one at a time (at least, once per core).

There's finishing one thing and letting the context go, and then asking "what is the next most urgent task" and then doing that task with single-pointed attention. There is also trying to mull over some software problem while a conference call where people are planning something that matters to you and you keep one ear out for if you are called out or a special topic to you is called out. The first is not harmful but the second certainly feels bad.

There's also getting into the next most urgent task and getting deep into it and being free to just ignore all notifications for however long vs. people expecting to ping you on slack and get a real time answer or invite you to a call with 10 minutes notice and expecting you to be there. Again, the second is stressful and injurious to good quality work.

Re: Multitasking hurts performance and may even damage the brain (2018)

#156

Post by redisman »

periheli0n wrote: post #62
josefresco wrote: post #44

My wife (like many wives) multi-tasks to the extreme. Coordinating our household, and running a business means she always has about 100 things in her brain at once. Always on her phone, always planning, making lists, researching, ordering. It's certainly common, and a wonder to witness however I worry about the effects on her brain, as she has trouble sometimes vocalizing her thoughts. She often forgets someone's nam…

I recognize those symptoms. Happens to me too when stress levels have been constantly elevated for a while. Usually that's also when stupid errors start creeping into what I do. I think it might be an early sign of burnout.

I also had the same thing at my previous stressful always putting out fires job. Now I’m at a more laid back (and more productive) place and the brain/memory fatigue has gone away

Re: Multitasking hurts performance and may even damage the brain (2018)

#158

Post by redisman »

danboarder wrote: post #36

Multitasking gets a bad rap but I would suggest that not everything we call "multitasking" disrupts focus. For example, many tasks become background processes and some provide rhythm for improved focus. In my experience, for example, listening to a Lex Fridman podcast while doing Photoshop design works great together and I think is better when done together than not, perhaps using different parts of the brain. Likewi…

There does seem to be some more bandwidth combining “art” and “science”. Trying to listen to any talking while programming is almost impossible but if I’m drawing or sculpting or anything like that then it’s more complementary

Re: Multitasking hurts performance and may even damage the brain (2018)

#159

Post by lanstin »

nickphx wrote: post #75
bluefirebrand wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but that has nothing to do with why I wrote my comment. It's fine for people to spend their leisure time however they want. If you want to focus on a single thing like reading a book, or sit in a room in quiet contemplation, or turn on every electronic in your house, I don't care. I'm just curious if the latter is really the same as multi-tasking. It's reasonable to question if having a lot of sensory input thr…

I would say it's not. To me, multi-tasking implies you're completing a task, you have a set goal in mind with a series of steps or focused work required to achieve the goal or end result of the task.

For me, there is a difference between the experience of sitting in a dark room and watching a movie and not doing anything else as opposed to watching a movie at home whilst reading things on the phone or looking up stuff in IMDB or pausing and making hot chocolate, etc. So even for entertainment, the experience and effects of more focused activities and less focused activities probably still merit investigation.
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