Try the Myth of Multitasking Exercise! | Updated Version of Multitask Test 

I like your test. I am a college professor struggling with students who bring electronic media (laptops/smartphones) to lectures, expecting that they can follow the lecture while "multitasking" with their email, twitter, surfing the web, etc. Your test will make a great ice-breaker activity. I don't know how many students will see the light after taking it, but if even just a few come to a realization about multitasking being a myth, that will be a win.

I read your book about ten years ago. You are right! Ever since then I have a concentrated effort mindset in the jobs I perform. It’s a red flag when I read in job ads “must be able to multitask”! What I hear is, “You will be constantly interrupted but expected to perform at a high level anyway!” Thanks for saving me a lot of grief and frustration. Great book!!!

It’s purely based off motivation based off of my experience, the first time you told us to write the letters and numbers, I got 19 seconds, the same amount of time it took me to write the 3rd and 4th line. In conclusion, if you feel comfortable with multitasking and it doesn’t hurt you, it helps you

I'm applying for pilot in the RCAF and you have to do aircrew selection, that test is all "multitasking" to the point where it's absurd how much they require you to focus on!

Awesome exercise…showing my kids who think they can do homework and text and chat with friends

Welcome to the updated version of my exercise from The Myth of Multitasking! Book on Amazon (US): MultitaskBook.com My LinkedIn Learning time management course (over 1 million graduates!): DaveCrenshaw.com/time Definitions: Switchtasking = attempting to do multiple attention-requiring tasks at the same time. Each switch in attention incurs switching cost, which includes a loss of time, decrease in performance, and an increase in stress levels. When most people say they are “multitasking,” they are most often referring to switchtasking. Backtasking aka "background tasking"= performing a task while something mindless or mundane occurs in the background. Examples include: delegating tasks to employees while you work on more valuable activities, putting a machine to work on a large job while you answer email, and exercising while you listen to music. Backtasking can improve productivity overall.

This is a great improvement on the former video. I love showing this to my 8th grade students and have them complete the exercise! Unfortunately, when I ask them to reflect on the experience they do not make the connection to their everyday lives. I'm hopeful they will remember the activity later on in life.

I did this While I'm listening my First ever Book on Audible , Coz I was Really unaware of its Effects & The differences very Back & Switch Tasking...

Only thing I would add is how stress inhibits mental function. This is great! I’m definitely going to use this and probably get the book for my students. Thanks!!!

I wasn't able to finish either, got to 11 on the first one before the time was over then got to e on the scentence and 18 on the numbers while switch tasking.

what i dont get is we dont write words 1 letter at a time, we visualise it as a full word, so the task should be write a word and write the a sequence of numbers and switch that way it takes the same amount of time

Amazing clarification ☺️

I'm curious about the reception of your idea. Many companies and managers expect their employee to multi-task (whatever multi-tasking may mean for them), some even have it built-in into their KPIs and performance reviews. Was there a lot of rejection of your idea from companies that believe multi-tasking exist? What do they say to challenge your idea?

I have difficulty studying . I can either study book the entire day . Or ill spend cleaning and grooming

Wouldn’t people normally take more time doing the test on the second part because it would take time to constantly switch between the numbers and words?

Sadly multitasking is commonly practiced by companies, sometimes a requirement.

1) 18.86 2) 1:35.97

very enlightening experiment!

I'm curious as to how comes into play when it comes to note taking during a lecture. I have always heard that you absorb the information more when you take notes, however, I have always felt that instead of focusing on the lecturer, I am more concerned about trying to write the information down, therefore not focusing. What are your opinions?

Thank you

The differences is'n really big for me 1. 30s 2. 40s

Wow! Just the thought of backtasking gives me high anxiety because it is extremely cognitively taxing for me! If my brain is not aloud to focus on what it needs to in a given moment because of the hyper awareness of eventually having to attend to that background task again and that something might be going wrong (like in cooking), my focus and therefore my productivity on the front task suffers, unless, of course, one of the tasks is able to be done from start to finish with physical automaticity (like walking) or can be ignored and completely forgotten with no consequence (like hearing music). It's a skill i'm working on as backtasking is a necessary evil to get by in this world. But ya throw in the concept of Switchtasking? HAHAHAHA!🤣 Nope! 🙅🏻‍♀️ I didn't do the exercise here but I can assure you I wouldn't have even made it to number 10 by the end, and that's if I didn't just give up after 3! My brain would be so overwhelmed that all it would focus on is how overwhelmed it was. No matter what single task i'm doing, my mind has to go "ok. What was I doing again? oh! Right!" like every ten minutes. This would just amplify that by a billion! I swear, constant and repetitive breaks in continuity are the death of progress! Thank you for this video! It will help me explain to people why I struggle to "multitask" as they claim to be able to do so easily.

Now throw ADHD into the mix......any advice?

Interesting thing for me is when I did the first part it was sloppy because I tried to be fast. But when I do the second part I was focused so it took double amount of time but it was neater then the first one. What to make of it 😅

Obviously doing multiple things at the same time that take your full attention will just slow you down. What about things that don’t require hardly any attention. What if was stirring a mixing bowl and watching a video? Would I just immediately forget everything I watched? Because I don’t. What about listing to a book while driving? Listing to music while you study? Watching TV while you eat? All of these have one thing that only requires your basic attention and no real thinking involved.

20sec and 38 second

Ended up laughing very much 😢😢

That's wat i do, but my subordinate are telling me this is wrong,

human beings are not computers that can focus on various tasks simultaneously. I think schools would be teaching you all sorts of stuff within a shortened frame if multitasking actually worked.

Try playing the piano, while playing treble with the right hand, you are playing a totally different song in the bass on your left hand! MULTITASKING! Hhmmm