Multitasking may be the mark of the sophisticated and savvy metropolitan creature, but it has been found to cause serious brain drain. ‘Constant switching of focus is inefficient, and can lead to trouble. As we cram more tasks into less time, frustration grows, quality of work drops, and our brains take a hit.’ Multitasking may deprive the multitasker of time, efficiency, and the capacity to concentrate when he really needs to.

Because of a rat race world in ‘today’s corporate culture and competitive job market,’ the multitasker or the one who is ‘willing to take on the most’ wins the race and gets ahead. However, ‘researchers are discovering that constantly switching tasks may be a lot less effective than it might appear.’ According to David Meyer, a psychologist specializing in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Michigan, “When you’re pushing yourself to perform two or more tasks, especially complicated tasks, it’s not beneficial. It’s extremely inefficient.”

Scientists believe that ‘the brain must refocus each time it switches activities, and the more complicated the task, the more time it takes to refocus.’ So, just when the multitasker thinks that he has pulled off the various simultaneous tasks that he took on to do, the result of his performance, per task and the collective set of tasks, is really inferior. Add to that, the multiple efforts had drained the brain. According to one biology researcher, “The very act of multitasking adds to the drain on the brain’s finite supply of real-time resources. Only a few things – breathing, heart rate regulation – can be done without pressuring working memory.”

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Via boston.com