How to learn to do several things at once

What is multitasking? From a scientific point of view, this is the high speed of the prefrontal region of the brain. The good news is that the ability can be trained, the bad news is that the brain actively resists increased stress.

And yes, multitasking is not for everyone. But what to do if the ability to do several things at the same time is almost a basic requirement in the modern world - and this applies not only to work.

Life in a big city

As already noted earlier, an avalanche of tasks awaits not only at work. Any area of ​​life requires a modern person to be everywhere and immediately, to know everything, to play ahead of the game and to run somewhere constantly. According to statistics, only 2% of people can maintain efficiency at such a rhythm of life.

Take a look around. We are already used to doing several things at once - talking on the phone and driving, talking with friends and at the same time writing SMS. It would seem that the brain has long been accustomed to the pace and we are all multi-tasking “from the factory”. But this is a superficial perception.

It often seems that a person who boldly takes on several areas of work at once, copes well with them. However, studies by American psychologist David Streyer showed that 75% of people are not able to perform several tasks at the same time, and this is normal - this is how the brain works. Therefore, the majority suffers from the so-called false multitasking.

True multitasking

People computers exist. A brain capable of true multitasking can not only process several pulses at the same time, but also demonstrates amazing accuracy. In addition, according to Strayer, such people do several tasks even better than one.

According to estimates, only 1 out of 200 people on the planet is capable of true multitasking. In other cases, attempts to close several “tasks” at the same time are only a loss of effectiveness and stress.

Remember yourself, take a lot of urgent work, “sew up” all day, jumping from task to task — as a result, you don’t have time and you feel wild tiredness. That's because you have the wrong idea about multitasking and your own resources.

How to live in multitasking mode

For starters, stop fooling yourself. Most of us are ordinary people, physically incapable of multichannel information processing. But in the same way we can show super results and do a lot of work. This requires a system.

Step 1: remove distractions
Psychologists note the ability to be easily distracted as one of the main signs of false multitasking.

To maintain concentration, try to protect yourself from irritants as much as possible. TV, birds in the window, chatter of colleagues, extra tabs in the browser - block everything that can distract from the main work.

Step 2: a clear plan
Only in this way can you do at least something by the end of the working day. Make a to-do list right in the morning. Some life coaches recommend compiling several lists - for home, for work, for yourself. This idea seems quite logical.

Step 3: following the sequence
You have a plan and no one distracts from work. Now all that is needed is to move through the list of scheduled tasks, from point to point in turn, without jumping and without trying to do 2 tasks at a time.

Maximum concentration, planning and sequence of actions - these are 3 steps that will help to put things in order in the work tasks and head, increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary stress.