Being a person who could juggle multiple assignments, responsibilities at the same time, I thought it was something to be proud of.
Fast forward to current times and research has shown that multitasking is more of a myth, or a cliche. Here is one random article I selected, however you can Google "The Myth of Multitasking" for many more articles on the subject.
Research has shown that multitasking is nearly impossible and that your brain doesn't do multiple things at once, at least not well. Rather, it stops doing one thing while you do the next. This is often referred to "Task Switching" not Multitasking. This is viewed by many who have studied it far more than I have that Multitasking is inefficient at best and downright counterproductive at worst.
In fact, for people who review resumes and understand this research, you probably roll your eyes every time you see the skill "multitasking" listed on a resume.
I agree with you and feel your pain. I don't think multitasking should be listed as a skill on a resume!
However, I do propose that there is a passive kind of multitasking that everyone can and should do. I believe the brain responds well and actually thrives with this kind of multitasking.
The multitasking I am talking about is learning while you do other things that you have to, or want to do anyways.
For instance, I have been logging a lot of miles in preparation for my first marathon in December 2014. That means I may spend around 4 hours a week or more running outside in nature. This presents a perfect multitasking opportunity for me. I have found that I can listen to audiobooks, podcasts, sermons, etc and learn a great deal and build up my mind, body and soul while I am out there pounding the pavement. This accomplishes two objectives, one it makes the time pass faster, two it gives the benefit of learning new things while I run, or simply provides entertainment (I like to listen to Fiction Novels too!). I haven't done research, but I have found that this type of multitasking is actually beneficial and not counterproductive. My brain/body seems to be able to handle the load of running/reading with no problem, in fact it makes the experience much, much more enjoyable.
Some other opportunities I have found for this passive form of multitasking is while I'm driving in the car. On average I drive between 5-7 hours a week. Why not fill that time with a passive beneficial activity like listening to things that benefit my mind, body and spirit?
Another prime opportunity for this passive multitasking is doing any kind of repetitive work around the house, such as mowing the lawn, sweeping, doing dishes, etc. If you passively listen to things while you do these tasks you'd be amazed at how many learning opportunities you are missing out on!
How to do this efficiently and cheaply you ask?
I have downloaded a free app called OverDrive, from there you can connect to your local library and download audiobooks and ebooks (although ebooks are less than ideal for "multitasking"). It is amazing how many great books are available to listen to for free! I like that OverDrive gives you the option to listen at a higher speed too (at least in iOS devices, I don't think the Android OverDrive App supports speeding the audio up yet). At first it will be hard, but you can gradually train your mind to get used to listening at a faster speed. Now I have a hard time listening at a slower speed.
The same thing goes for Podcasts. In iTunes, you can listen at a faster speed too. This allows me to "download" more content in a shorter time. I can listen to an hour podcast in a half hour on my drive to work. It's kind of like the Matrix when Neo quickly downloads and learns a new skill immediately.
While I'm not claiming "Matrix" like results, I am seeing serious gains in learning a pretty wide array of topics. In the past month I've finished 7 full length books, dozens of podcasts and many sermons. See this list of things I've been consuming lately.
It will be different for everyone, however I believe most people can benefit from this type of passive multitasking.
So give it a try. Even if you read one extra book, you will be in a better position. If you can read 7 extra books in a month, think of the possibilities!
Let me know how this works for you, or even if you disagree with my personal theory of passive multitasking.
