the cost of multitasking

[mellowtigger]

I've noticed a few stories that I broke before Slashdot, but this time they found an interesting one for me. There's a story in The Atlantic about multitasking. Now, I'm lousy at multitasking. It's part of the reason why I've kept my phone turned off for the last decade.  (I've turned it on for months during my jobhunting, and it's very annoying.)  A phone is supposed to be there for MY convenience, not anyone else's. The obligation to answer a ringing phone interrupts everything else that might be going on at the time. Back when I was a programmer, I would set my phone to ring directly to voicemail rather than have it disturb me at my desk, interrupting my concentration.

It's a trait very common amongst autistics, but (as with other autistic traits) research is showing that it's true to a lesser degree of everyone.

"Multitasking messes with the brain in several ways. At the most basic level, the mental balancing acts that it requires—the constant switching and pivoting—energize regions of the brain that specialize in visual processing and physical coordination and simultaneously appear to shortchange some of the higher areas related to memory and learning. We concentrate on the act of concentration at the expense of whatever it is that we’re supposed to be concentrating on."

and

"Even worse, certain studies find that multitasking boosts the level of stress-related hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline and wears down our systems through biochemical friction, prematurely aging us. In the short term, the confusion, fatigue, and chaos merely hamper our ability to focus and analyze, but in the long term, they may cause it to atrophy."

It's been noticeable, during the time that I spend around other adults, that my urge to simplify all aspects of my life is an essential part of what success I've achieved during the last 20 years.  I've started encouraging other autistics to simplify (control) all of the things that they can (phone, food, travel, email) to lower their stress levels so that they can better handle the stressors that are not subject to their control.

I named myself "The Mellow Tigger" 21 years ago.  The foresight still amazes me.

Comments

[philbutrin.livejournal.com]

i think the glorification of multitasking is a scourge of modern society. personally, i think we'd all be better off if more people could learn to focus on doing a single thing at a time and giving it full attention, rather than doing 4 things simultaneously and distractedly. if none of those four things merits your full attention, then why do them?

it's a hard habit to break, but it's one i've been working on. my motto along the way has been "do everything you do as though it's really worth doing"... when i remind myself of that, i often find that i'm filling my time with things that do little more than fill time. if i stop to actually appreciate and enjoy what i'm doing -- whatever it is -- life seems much more meaningful :-)

[mellowtigger]

Yes, that's a good philosophy. :)

The Thief of Time

[dodecadragon.livejournal.com]

Multitasking is Inefficient (http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2001/aug/multitasking/080601multitasking.html)

So do you bring up your autism in your job search, or keep that aspect of yourself private?

I get so drained whenever I browse job listings, my stomach starts to knot up whenever I read job descriptions that use terms like "fast-paced" "juggle" or "multitasking", it usually just makes me give up in frustration. I've gotten to the point where I can't even bring myself to consider putting myself back into environments like that.

Re: The Thief of Time

[mellowtigger]

That's a good article. Apparently research has been reaching the same conclusion for years, eh?

No, I don't mention it. I've noticed that at least one job application form has changed their section on self-reporting a handicap status to "None, or do not disclose". I usually just leave that section blank. I won't lie about it, but I've never asked for any kind of accommodation.

I've always just instinctively sought kinds of work that would be good. I've spent many years at off-shift hours. I've worked jobs that had me working with only 1-2 other people in the building at that hour. I've worked jobs that had me only on small teams.

I've avoided jobs that had me talking to lots of people (unless it's tech support work which is very specific kind of talking). I've avoided jobs that used codewords for high-stress environments.

I am in the habit, however, of disclosing in my "goodbye" letter as I leave a job. I figure they might as well get used to the idea, since 1 in 150 kids growing up (autistic) today will eventually enter the job market. Employers might as well get used to the idea now, with an understanding of what changes to the workplace would make it easier for everyone involved.