Roman Review

THE ROMAN REVIEW

MANNY ROMAN

TASKING: MULTI AND SWITCH

Iwoke up this morning with much anxiety. My mind was reeling from all the things that I absolutely had to do today. I attempted to conduct my normal morning routine anyway. I retrieved my morning coffee and sat for my morning aggravation of “news” coverage. However, my mind would not cease the continuous movie reel of all the items on today’s agenda:

• Clean up after last night’s Vegas Monsoon – 2 hours • Troubleshoot the pool pump failure – 2 hours • Update AMSP.net with the annual winter meeting information – 1 hour • Set up the online voting for new AMSP Board officers - 1 hour • Decide and research what to write about for this column – 3 hours • Write and revise this column – 1 hour.

TOTAL – TEN HOURS!

Seriously, these are the actual times that my mind anticipated for each project. I don’t think these times are based on previous experience. They can’t be correct since actual previous times are wildly different. The stress of the many items probably expands the perceived time frames.

So, I did as everyone else does. I prioritized and assigned urgency and importance to each task. This proved very difficult because they all seemed to have the same levels of urgency and importance. I realized that this analysis should have been performed yesterday at day’s end. This is what you and all good time managers do. However, my day is not often so full. I then came to the conclusion that the two of you who anxiously await this column every month would be the first priority.

I thought that maybe I could do a little multitasking or switch tasking which caused me to actually research the differences. Maybe this is why my brain assigned such a large block of time to research. Once I get on the Internet, I am sidetracked by all those opportunities to see and learn new stuff. I immediately wind up in switch tasking mode. But, I digress.

Multitasking is when we perform related tasks which are automatic or can be performed unconsciously. Walking and chewing gum or driving while also looking in the mirrors for safety, come to mind. When we add texting to these, we are now applying a task that intrudes into the automatic and unconscious tasks. This invasion requires attention that can be very dangerous in the examples and, in safer instances, reduce focus, productivity and expand required completion time. This is switch tasking.

Switch tasking forces the brain to switch focus, in itself a time-consuming process. The time required for the new information to be processed by the short-term working memory – reorientation time. When new stuff comes in, some of the stuff already in there has to be moved out. As we move from one task to another, focus time is lost as well as focus itself. According to research, switch tasking reduces productivity, increases errors and increases the time needed to complete the tasks. Of course, it also increases stress, discomfort and impatience.

There are people who enjoy switch tasking although they call it multitasking. Some may feel more productive, and even enjoy the stress. It provides bragging rights to be able to switch tasks. Some switch tasking is less harmful. Watching TV, texting and eating chips may not be as harmful as texting or emailing during an important business meeting.

It is a common misconception that the young are better at switch tasking than we old people are. Actually, they are just more practiced at it. They may be subjected to many more distractions and interruptions that redirect their attention. They may also be more prone to the errors and other harmful byproducts of multitasking.

It is interesting that many job descriptions, as well as resumes, highlight the ability to multitask (switch task) as an asset or requirement. In this case, I believe what is intended or should be intended, is the ability to move to and focus on a higher priority task quickly and efficiently without freaking out.

I am almost done with this task. I was able to provide good focus to it. The only interruption has been the hummingbird that appears at the window beside me to say good morning. As I complete this task, the other tasks are starting to encroach on my thoughts. Oh hey, there’s the hummingbird again. •

Manny Roman, CRES, is association business operations manager at Association of Medical Service Providers.