What does it mean to be multitasking?
The term comes from the tech world and was first mentioned in 1965 in a publication where the IBM company referred to the capabilities of a new processing system.
Today, multitasking is a desirable skill that companies attribute to certain people in their teams. We know that, if we approach this question with the rigor of science, the human brain is not able to maintain 100% performance on several differentiated tasks at once. Yes he can adapt quickly the context in which these activities are framed. This way a person can write an email and put this task aside to deal with an emergency.
Companies also mention this feature as the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously by directing some of its stages and not just directing it. In other words, a kind of "despecialization" in search of profitability and saving time and resources.
The benefits of multitasking
There are a number of personal aspects to being a multitasking person and .
- VitesseThe time savings of being able to do several things simultaneously can be seen as an advantage.
- ProductivityIf we save time and resources, we will be more productive both on our personal projects and in the teams in which we work.
- Overcome the first stagesMultitasking: Multitasking is the native environment of a business in its infancy. In a start-up, everyone on the small team usually knows how to do everything.
- AdaptabilityThe value as a professional is increased by the ability to multitask and take on different jobs as needed.
Disadvantages of multitasking
While this is a desirable skill, multitasking also comes with some drawbacks or risks.
- Decreased performanceOur brain is not always going to accompany us with high concentration at all times. So, being multitasking can result in poorer performance because we can't accomplish all the tasks.
- Tendency to stressIn a brain subjected to a large number of simultaneous tasks, it can experience stress when overwhelmed by different situations. Failure to meet some of the goals set can also lead to frustration.
In order to multitask effectively, it is very useful to have a develop guidelines and set achievable tasks and goals for each step.
Being multitasking is linked to the speed and accelerated pace of our society. Technological advancements are happening at breakneck speed and multitasking is an adaptive response to this. We are not all ready to be multitasking, but it brings competitive advantages as well as dangers for which action will have to be considered.