Multitasking

When you accomplish multiple tasks at once, you are said to be multitasking. Multitasking may be seen favorably by most employees. However, Business Review at Harvard" claims that it might actually reduce productivity by 45%, making it unsafe. Recent studies have demonstrated that multitaskers have more difficulty completing some complex activities. A team's ability to function effectively may be harmed if one person takes a long time to transition from one job to another. The main harm caused by multitasking is the negative effects it can have on an organization as a whole. The first problem with multitasking for an employee is confusion. Workers who keep on moving from one task to the other without finishing the initial one is likely to become confused about their strategies and goals. In a recent article named “The Bloomberg Businessweek,” it is open that getting distracted during a working period results to about $650 billion loss in the United States business program (Adler & Benbunan, 2012). If an employee is frequently distracted by an email message or a phone call it is possible that the employee will not gain back the solution or even the direction of a task. A confused worker is expected to take more time to work on a task or might even fail to complete the project. Confusion is therefore likely to affect the management and more so the customer who might be on the waiting line.

Multitasking also results to poor working reviews. Unfinished work leads to poor performance in a group as well as low production which can result in permanent productivity in the file of an employee. Negative reviews have an extended impact on the morale of the worker as well as the staff in an organization (Appelbaum, Marchionni & Fernandez, 2008). It can be difficult to improve the working rate of an employee to a satisfactory rate if the worker does not have an adequate contribution to the goals of a team because of extended interruption. It is hard to improve the working performance to a perfect level. In order to improve the performance reviews, it is necessary to schedule the worker to undergo some training on how to carry out various responsibilities. This will work best while at the office so as to improve the output as well as meet the daily working performance standards.

Multitasking also results to burnout and extended stress. Expecting a worker to achieve several errands at the same time that are not effective to each other can result in stress and anxiety. According to a recent research carried out to investigate the employee performance by the American organization of stress, it was evident that about sixty percent of the workers experience stress in their work period (González & Mark, 2004). If the worker's attention is disrupted by customers, co-workers and the administration then an employee is likely to become frustrated or even lack the potential to complete the task. Such interruption results to dissatisfaction by the client and extended working hours. Longer working duration results to fatigue and burnout at work which risks the organization’s capital as well as the turnover rate of the employee or even stress claims.

Multitasking decreases the focus that an individual has in learning. According to a research published by the United States international library, examiners observed that multitaskers are likely to experience unworthy stimuli that can lead to extended trouble while undertaking significant tasks. Decreased focus affects concentration hence one concentrates on social media like Facebook. Scientists have observed that the mind has the capability of processing one or two tasks at a time (Hembrooke & Gay, 2003). When undertaking one or more jobs at the same time, the normal functioning of the brain is likely to slow down. This eventually results to less invention instead of promoting production. Psychologists suggest that multitasking can affect the ability of an individual to learn. It is important to observe a progressive learning curve and spend valuable time on the organizational process.

Multitasking also leads to impaired memory. According to the Stafford University research, it is evident that distraction affects the ability of a multitasker to remember some critical stages involved in a difficult project (Hembrooke & Gay, 2003). Overloading of information can lead to the impairment of significant information and trivial differentiation. Workers who experience this difficulty in their offices can miss some significant projects which might lead to lower services and production of quality products. The other damage of multitasking is that it can result in overheating. Distractions that occur during mealtime can prevent the brain of an individual from processing what one has consumed.

According to a review conducted in 2012, one is not likely to feel satisfied and might be tempted to continue eating throughout the day (Adler & Benbunan, 2012). Experts suggest that even individuals who eat alone need to turn on their televisions while eating and pay keen attention to their food. While eating at the computer, you need to slow down and take a break from the screens so as to focus on every bite. Multitasking also dampens the creativity of an individual. It is important to have some working memory and temporary storage of the brain. Multitasking takes one’s ability to think creatively. Extensive focus can harm the performance of an individual by being creative towards problem-solving responsibilities.

Multitasking can also be dangerous. Talking and texting on the mobile phone can be dangerous just as driving while drunk. Driving alone cannot risk the life of an individual because of multitasking (González & Mark, 2004). According to the research conducted by the United States research institute, it is clear that most of the pedestrians who use their mobile devices while walking is not keen before they step into the crosswalk (Ophir, Nass & Wagner, 2009). The study shows that one out of five teenagers who go to the emergency rooms after a car hits them is as a result of using a phone while walking during the period of the accident.

Human resource professional’s advice people to use wellness groups to assist their workers in handling problems associated with multitasking. Most of them advise their workers to use single-tasking instead. It is the responsibility of a manager to remind the workers to avoid overworking (Hembrooke & Gay, 2003). Employees begin overworking when a lot of work is compelled to them. Managers should, therefore, offer their employees manageable and realistic workload. Workers should practice single-tasking so as to offer the brain with some time to relax. An employee becomes more productive if he avoids some challenging tasks (Appelbaum, Marchionni & Fernandez, 2008). The worker should seek for some free time by taking some break from work each and every day. Secondly, an employee should observe single-tasking so as to avoid disruption. In order to observe this, it is important for the worker to silence the mobile phone and focus on performing one duty at a time. One should also offer full attention to a project so as to increase speed, accuracy, and innovation.

It is also necessary to list down the projects that one is to undertake every day so as to avoid confusion. A worker should observe the urgencies for a day and ensure that they are all undertaken with keenness. An employee should also offer the significant tasks some prime time so that the brain can be more productive (Ophir, Nass & Wagner, 2009). The brain can be maintained by observing a healthy diet and extended periods of exercise. It is necessary to attend regular medical checkups so as to facilitate on body performances. It is our duty to ensure that our brains are smart so that the organization can keep on flourishing.

Summing up, it is essential for an administration to find out some resolution towards multitasking in a workplace so as to evade any negative influence on the performance of a worker. It is important for a manager to advise the employee to ignore phone calls as well as log out to email accounts while working so as to reduce interruption. A worker should prefer to complete a single task at a time so as to eliminate any unwanted distraction as well as offer the worker with control over arranged workload as well as decrease nervousness. If a worker does not expect to have any urgent communication he can control text messaging, voice mails and emails by ensuring regular check outs during the day. Finally, the manager should also avoid disturbing the employee by avoiding any unnecessary task especially when the deadline is approaching.

References

Adler, R. F., & Benbunan-Fich, R. (2012). Juggling on a high wire: Multitasking effects on performance. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 70(2), 156-168.

Appelbaum, S. H., Marchionni, A., & Fernandez, A. (2008). The multitasking paradox: perceptions, problems, and strategies. Management Decision, 46(9), 1313-1325.

González, V. M., & Mark, G. (2004, April). Constant, constant, multi-tasking craziness: managing multiple working spheres. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems (pp. 113-120). ACM.

Hembrooke, H., & Gay, G. (2003). The laptop and the lecture: The effects of multitasking in learning environments. Journal of computing in higher education, 15(1), 46-64.

Ophir, E., Nass, C., & Wagner, A. D. (2009). Cognitive control in media multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), 15583-15587.