The Trouble With Multi-Tasking

We all do it . You're on your cell phone, the TV's up too loud, dinner's on the stove, there's a load in the washer, one kids at soccer practice waiting to be picked up, the other just spilled grape juice all over your new carpet, and your husband keeps asking you where a clean t-shirt is. We are a society of multi-tasking maniacs! Did you know that doing too much not only impairs your memory, but it also increases your susceptibility to serious illnesses? "If you try to do more than one thing at a time, you will most likely suffer a very substantial loss of efficiency compared with what happens if you concentrate on getting one task done at a time," says David Meyer, Ph.D., a University of Michigan psychology professor specializing in cognition and perception. There are three main drawbacks to multi-tasking:

1.Strained brain. Multitasking is only effective when doing things that are automatic, i.e. breathing while chewing gum. You can't concentrate on two visual tasks at once, says Meyer.

2.Damaged memory possibly permanently. Your memory and future ablities are compromised when you do many different tasks at one time. Multi-tasking utilizes short- term memory, so people who multi-task often cannot take in new information fully; therefore, it's not available for retrieval later. Also, because multi-tasking is stressful, the body has to release stress hormones that end up diverting attention and energy from memory forming parts of the brain. Damage on the surface of the skin and the skin's eliminating and protecting functions are compromised by stress hormones.

3.Weakened immune system. Multi-tasking can be exhausting, and distressed people don't sleep well. Americans, in general, are sleep-deprived. Because poor sleep leads to even more fatigue, leading to more stress, the body's immune system is damaged. Because of this, it is harder to fight off infections, like colds, and we are more susceptible to stress-associated diseases, like heart disease and high blood pressure, even obesity and diabetes. Stress encourages overeating and interferes with metabolism.

4. Damaged skin, and premature signs of aging. Scowling due to stress causes wrinkling of the facial muscles and that causes expression lines to form on the face.

Smarter Ways to Get Things Done:

1.Figure out your intentions for the week. Identify what you really need to focus on in a week's time.

2.Make a daily list of task in order of importance and stick to it.

3.The margin in books makes the book easier to read and margin in your life make your life easier to live. Margin somehow gets filled in with the days emergencies, a rushed day is the result of no margin in the schedule. The margin not used is your gift to yourself and how often do you get the gift of time.

4.Be aware of time! Over scheduling can lead to stress. Determine how long something will actually take.

5.Take breaks. Don't spend more than 90 consecutive minutes on one particular task.

6.Learn to say NO. This is not a negative act.

7.Clean off your desk. This makes it easier to focus.

8.Good enough is enough. Excellence and perfectionism are not the same, perfectionism is an unhealthy attitude setting you up for failure.

9.Enjoy life, stay healthy, have fun.

Article Source: http://articles411.com

Kathy Wright is a beauty and wellness expert, author, speaker and CEO of B&P Company the manufactures of Frownies Beauty patch and skin care line. Read other articles written by Kathy at www.frownies.com/tips

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