jenk | (no subject)

From the NYT:

ACCORDING to research compiled by David E. Meyer, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan, multitaskers actually hinder their productivity by trying to accomplish two things at once. Mr. Meyer has found that people who switch back and forth between two tasks, like exchanging e-mail and writing a report, may spend 50 percent more time on those tasks than if they work on them separately, completing one before starting the other.

As a result, Mr. Meyer said, businesspeople who multitask "are making themselves worse businesspeople."

He says little research has been done into why some people are compulsively drawn to multitasking. But he theorizes that the allure has several layers. Multitasking offers a guise of productivity, a "macho" show of accomplishment, and similarities to a quick amphetamine rush.

That may be...but sometimes using email or solitaire as a break from the report will enable me to get the report done today instead of next week.

It's a good article...I read the first 3 paras (not those above) to

jw1776 and he thought it was The Onion. ;)