PERSUASIVE SPEECH

MANO-TASKING MORE IMPORTANT THAN MULTI-TASKING

PERSUASIVE SPEECH OUTLINE

NAME NUR SYAZWANI BINTI MD RADZI

STUDENT NO 2019689528
ELC GROUP BA2493C
TOPIC/TITLE Mano-tasking more important than multi-tasking
GENERAL PURPOSE To persuade

SPECIFIC PURPOSE To persuade my audience to know about Mano-tasking are important

than multi-tasking

INTRODUCTION
I ATTENTION Look at this picture. What do you think about mono tasking and multi-
GETTER tasking? Which one is more important to us? If you say it is a mono
tasking, you are correct. Monotasking is known as single-tasking, is the
concept of dedicating oneself to a particular task and avoiding
possible interruptions before the task is finished or a considerable
amount of time has passed.

RELEVANCY A Why monotasking over multitasking? Many people pride

STATEMENT themselves on their perceived multitasking ability. The problem is
that this ability is, in fact, only perception each time we complete
a small task that our brain releases cortisol, the feel-good
hormone, and so we are willing to keep switching from task to
task to get that little hit of happiness and satisfaction.

B The monotasking benefits are more like the opposites of the

disadvantages of multitasking. With monotasking, you are able to
enjoy your work more and as a result, you become more
productive.
C There is research that multitasking may potentially cause such
disturbances. In 2009, a Stanford University study found that,
overall, multitaskers had lower spans of attention, and were
worse at completing spatial perception and memory tests than
people who focused on one thing at a time.

II CREDIBILITY I've done some research on that issue. We’re bad at multi-tasking. We
STATEMENT just can't stop it. Despite the amount of times we learn that
multitasking is more likely to induce increased mental tension, kills
 memory and is practically impractical for our brains to do so, we still
do so.

A Multitasking can lack our focus. When working on multiple tasks

as once, such as talking on the phone, checking your email and
writing a report, you may lose focus to complete one item
appropriately
B Multitasking or switching tasks don't work because it requires the
brain to operate in a way it wasn't intended to. Cognitive costs
include higher fuel needs for the job resulting in increasing
intellectual fatigue, decreased time performance, more mistakes,
reduced creativity, poorer data processing and poorer decision
taking.
III TIE TO So that is why we should change our mind set about multitasking. So
AUDIENCE we need to realize that monotasking is very important compare to the
multi-tasking.
A We should stop multitasking if you want to be more productive.

B Monotasking is important because it allows to fully focus on what

we are working on and making sure it is completed.

C When speed, efficiency and performance count, monotasking

wins every time, because multitasking doesn’t work since it
become less productive and more anxious.

IV THESIS & So today, I would like to persuade every one of you here to know
PREVIEW more about multi-tasking that can give impact negative compare to
the monotasking which is better alternative to us that simply paying
attention to, and completing, one task at a time.
TRANSITIONS: Now, you may say to yourself “What is the problem? Why do I need to know
multi-tasking? Why can’t I just do multiple task in one time?”

BODY
NEED Well ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you how multi-tasking can impact
negative your brain and productivity?
I First thing first, our 1 That can mean texting or listening to
brains can’t handle music while working can actually impair
several complex our productivity with the rise of
tasks at once. smartphones.

2 The fact is, no matter what you're doing,

multitasking will hurt your efficiency to
some degree.
 a Millennials switch from platform to
platform 27 times per hour
according to the Bryan College
study. In addition, multitasking
reduces IQs by 15 points during
cognitive tasks, and over time
decreases emotional intelligence and
brain density.

b This is because our minds are

affected by multitasking. A new
research showed that people who
were frequent media multitaskers
had significant decreases in the grey
matter of their brains, in areas
related to executive function and
motivation and emotion
management.

II The second problem 1 Further studies show a negative physical

is increased stress effect in the body, in additional to a
levels. negative cognitive effect.

a When a person is stressed, at work,

at home, or at school, they can't
really achieve much. Constant shift
from one task to another stresses
the brain, and it reacts by causing
our systems to increase the stress
hormones.
2 Moreover it can affect our focus and
learning

a Science shows us that at the same

time, the brain can only process one
or two ideas or tasks effectively. The
normal reaction of the brain is to
slow down when two or more tasks
of the same magnitude are being
juggled. What's happening is less
productivity, rather than more.

b For example, employees are

burdened with a lot of distractions
throughout the workday, from email
to social media sites like Facebook.
 Distracted employees can quickly
lose focus on important tasks, often
resulting in the loss of creativity and
innovation.

TRANSITIONS: Now that you know the impact of multi-tasking on your brain and productivity,
you may be asking yourself these questions: “How do I solve this problem?”
SATISFACTION There are several ways you can avoid the multitasking overload.

I Firstly, you can being 1 a) Prioritize you’re to do lists. Nobody

more productive is monotasks all day long, at some point
creating a list of you do need to switch gears and start
things you need to work on something else. High media
get done and limiting multitaskers (people who work online) do
distraction. worse and worse as the day wears on.
b) Decide what you’re most important
tasks are and tackle them first, while you
are fresh before checking email,
Facebook, or other distractions, if
possible.
2 Besides that, another important step is
limiting distractions.

a Schafer said that it is definitely

important to prioritize and schedule
your work, but also make sure you're
focused on that work when
you do it.
b Avoid having to make so many
mental shifts to unnecessary things.
Put notifications on mute, remove
distractions from outside. Do not
switch back and forth when you
need to make mental shifts.

c For example, avoid noise.  You just

need to be head-down sometimes,
in not disturb mode. Switch off your
notifications, set up an out-of-office
auto answer phone, do your best to
let us know you’re unavailable
before further notice.
II Another way to 1 First of all, encourage breaks is the best
avoid multitasking is thing you can do to help prevent from
need to take multitasking
encourage break and a If you are overwhelmed by task
be present. There without lull in work, you will be
 are several simple more pressure to multitask
steps that you can b To avoid this, encourage your mind
take. to unwind throughout the day
2 Secondly is be present with your work
and with those you are working with.
a You must stay on your current to do
and don’t let your focus float to
other tasks.

b
This means you must not checking
email while you are meeting with
someone. And it means not working
during that meeting on your laptop
TRANSITIONS: So, imagine that you continue do multiple task. What will happen?

VISUALISATION
Well, let me tell you what will happen when you still want to do multi-
tasking.
I First of all, there will 1 Researchers observed the multitasking of
be lead to increased people at home over a period of seven
distractibility. days and noticed that the more people
were multitasking, the more likely they
were to show behavioural disturbance.
2 Current assumptions are that one loses
the ability to differentiate between major
and unimportant interruptions by
responding to so many troubles.

II Second is as student, 1 Watching TV, listening to music, text-

multitasking friends, or checking social media while
can interfere with a doing homework is common for students.
student’s ability to Instead of juggling tasks effectively, the
learn and absorb minds of students become distracted and
information. can actually reduce productivity by up to
40 per cent

2 So, the distractions that come with

multitasking make the refocusing difficult
for students. Interruptions are especially
severe for students who have trouble
paying attention in the first place

CONCLUSION

ACTION I As a conclusion, the most important productivity tip that I want to

share is about focusing on one task and one task only.
 II While we often feel proud of our ability to multitask, it’s actually
detrimental to our productivity. 
III Evidence has consistently demonstrated that multitasking not only
damages our productivity but we can't even do it. Everything we find
to be multitasking is simply juggling, in which we switch easily
between different tasks.
IV So, to achieve this monotasking, if you want to get more done in less
time, you need to stop multitasking.

V Get started doing one thing at a time. Contrary to the concept of the
multi-tasker, you will simply be carrying out further tasks by
performing them separately. You'll also do it faster, with fewer errors
and less rework.

REFERENCES

1. Lindsay Dodgson (2017). You should stop multitasking if you want to be more productive
— this is why
Retrieved from https://www.insider.com/monotasking-better-than-multitasking-2017-3

2. By Businessese. Train Your Brain: The Benefits Of Monotasking Retrieved from

https://www.businessese.com/the-benefits-of-monotasking/

3. Matt D'Angelo (2019) How Does Multitasking Impact Productivity?

Retrieved from http: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4019-multitasking-not-
productive.html

4. Workplace wellness system, The Negative Effects of Multitasking in the Workplace

Retrieved from http://workplacewellnesssystems.co.nz/the-negative-effects-of-
multitasking-in the-workplace/

5. CEO Magazine (2017) Multitasking vs monotasking: Why multitasking doesn’t work

Retrieved from http: https://www.theceomagazine.com/business/management-
leadership/multitasking-vs-monotasking-why-multitasking-doesnt-work

ARTICLE 1
You should stop multitasking if you want to be more productive — this is why
 Monotasking' is the new multitasking
Albert Einstein said: "Any man who can drive safely
while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the
kiss the attention it deserves."  This quote
highlights a damning fault in our attention spans
that we've started to think of as normal.

Busy lives means lots of distractions coming from

every angle. Many people are working longer hours, but still find they're running out of time
to complete everything. This is when the art of multitasking becomes an attractive option. 

When you learn how to multitask well, it can be incredibly satisfying to tick multiple tasks off
your list. However, research suggests you might not be as productive in these moments as
you think. 

In a blog post on Psychology Today, life coach and writer Susanna M. Halonen says once
we get used to multitasking, it is almost impossible not to do it. This is because our brains
get a thrill from completing lots of things. We then get conditioned to look for that thrill, and
only think we're doing well when we feel it.

In reality, the thrill comes from a release of dopamine, according to Halonen, which we end
up mistaking for actually being productive. Thanks to this rewarding rush of hormones, we're
likely to ignore distractions and see them as a good thing. We can a When you think about it,
when you're distracted, how productive can you really be? For example, according to the
research group Dscout, we touch our phones around 2,617 times a day. Overall, that meant
participants in the study were looking at their phones about two and a half hours every day,
while heavier users were approaching nearly four hours. That's a lot of time that could be
better spent getting other things done.

There is evidence multitasking might actually be causing these distractions. In 2009, a study

from Stanford University found that multitaskers overall had poorer attention spans, and
were worse at completing tests of spatial perception and memory than people who focused
on one thing at a time. According to the authors, multitaskers "couldn't help thinking about
the task they weren't doing."

In 2015, another study from Iowa State University found that students who spent more time
on social media risked having a lower GPA score. They concluded that Facebook wasn't the
problem. Rather, it was self-regulation.
Halonen says it's possible to get the same dopamine rush through monotasking focusing on
single tasks and ticking them off one by one. This reward system is healthier than
multitasking, and less likely to mean you're misleading yourself. 

It will take a fair bit of self-discipline, but ultimately it's all about conditioning yourself to
behave differently. Once you start having healthier habits, you'll find it gets easier. Here are
a few things you can do:

 Avoid multiple screens - Try to appoint yourself time throughout the day to check
emails, IMs, and text messages. This way you won't find yourself getting so
distracted by notifications flashing up all day. 

 Don't date your phone - If you're meeting up with someone, avoid checking your
phone at the same time. Halonen says if you're checking Facebook when you're with
someone, you can't be making the most of talking to your friend. According to some
research, just having the phone on the table can reduce empathy and the level of
conversation between two people.

 Assign blocks of time to big tasks - When something is going to take a while, it can
feel easier to keep putting it off. One thing you can do is assign yourself a block of
time, such as 90 minutes, and promise yourself you have complete focus during that
time. At least you know it will be over in an hour and a half.

ARTICLE 2

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN: THE BENEFITS OF MONOTASKING

One of the biggest perks of working for yourself is that you have more freedom and flexibility
in regards to when and where you work. Depending on the exact nature of your business,
you may have to make concessions based on the needs of your clients, but in general online
entrepreneurs enjoy the ability to set their own hours.

However, there are two things you quickly learn:

 Online distractions are everywhere.

 Work expands to fill the time you allow it.

Prioritizing a work-life balance is critical when you are your own boss. We know that your
business is your passion, and that you have a vested interest in doing everything possible to
see it succeed, but you must set boundaries from the beginning. This helps keep client
expectations in check but more importantly, it keeps you from burning out while preserving
your relationships and sense of self outside of work.

When you take care to draw lines between work and not-work, it becomes more pressing to
make your designated work hours as efficient and productive as possible. You want to do
your best work, the first time around. And the best way to do that is train your mind to ignore
distractions and focus on the work at hand.

Why monotasking over multitasking?

There are many people who pride themselves on their perceived ability to multitask. The
problem is that this ability is, in fact, only perception: every time we complete a small task
our brain releases dopamine, the feel-good hormone, and so we are inclined to keep
switching from task to task to get that little hit of happiness and gratification.

At best, this deceives us into believing we are being more productive. At worst, it's an
addictive feedback loop that sets us up for other problems down the line. Research has
linked multitasking to the release of stress hormones and adrenaline, which can affect short-
term memory and cause health problems over time.
In fact, when you switch from task to task, it can take you up to 50% longer to finish those
tasks, as opposed to sticking with one project from start to finish before moving on to the
next one. And it doesn't take much of a distraction to derail your train of thought: in a study
from the Journal of Experimental Psychology, an interruption just under three seconds—
barely even long enough for you to change tabs or glance at your phone— doubled the rate
of error; a four-second interruption tripled it.

Tips to help you monotask

So how do we train our brains to monotask during work hours, in a world full of digital
distractions?

You will be unsurprised to learn that we have a few pointers.

Schedule work time and break time. Amazingly, there is a scientific formula for optimal
productivity! Researchers found that of the workers they studied, the 10% of employees with
the highest productivity took 17 minute breaks—spent completely away from the computer—
for every 52 minutes of work. This method is particularly good for procrastinators and
perfectionists, who tend to do their best and most focused work under pressure, in a state of
flow, in anticipation of an impending deadline. For these people it may be advantageous to
set deadlines for every step: x minutes to research, for example, before you must move on
to the next phase of a project.

Your number might be different; you may feel better stretching your legs more often. For
those of us that track our time for billing purposes, stopping on the hour or half hour may
make more sense. The major takeaway here is to take breaks that are real breaks, away
from your screen, in planned intervals, in ways that boost blood flow and energy.

Prioritize your to-do lists. Nobody monotasks all day long; at some point you do need to
switch gears and start work on something else. High media multitaskers (like, say, people
who work online) do worse and worse as the day wears on, so decide what your most
important tasks are and tackle them first, while you are fresh— before checking email,
Facebook, or other distractions, if possible.

Even better, create that to-do list the night before. It will help set your mind at ease for better
sleep, rather than worrying about everything you need to do and the possibility you'll miss
something, and allow your subconscious to get a head start working on your tasks.

Block out the noise. Sometimes you really need to be head-down, in do not disturb mode.
Turn off your notifications, set up an out-of-office autoresponder, do what you can to let
others know that you are unavailable until further notice.
If you know yourself well, you may realize you need to save yourself from yourself by
installing apps that show you the minutes ticking away or block tempting time-wasters. Some
options:

 Strict Workflow is based on The Pomodoro Technique, enforcing a 25min/5min

workflow by blocking specified sites for 25 minutes of distraction-free work, followed
by 5 minutes of break time.

 ShotClock for iPad and iPhone integrates a timer with your task list to keep you on
track.

 If you're tracking billable hours for a client, using an app like HoursTracker will track

time by client and automatically calculate the amount to be invoiced.

 The Forest app plants a “seed” for a tree when you start your task. Your trees grow
as you stay focused; they wither if you stop the app to use your phone or visit a
website on your blacklist before your allotted time is up. Bonus: by staying focused,
you can accumulate virtual coins that can be used to plant real trees. This app is
available for iOS and Android as well as an extension for Chrome or Firefox.

Work sequentially. When juggling multiple projects or clients, it may seem to make sense to
batch process similar tasks— scheduling social media for multiple clients, for instance.
However, the research is more compellingly in favor of working on separate tasks in
sequence within a specific project, as less “gear-switching” is required; if you were to move
from client to client, you'd still be thinking about the one you just finished and focusing less
closely on the one at hand.

There can be exceptions. If you're really and truly stuck in your current project, moving on for
a bit may be what you need to shake loose the next step or some creative inspiration. Or, if
scheduling ahead across projects on Sunday frees up a significant amount of time so that
you have fewer tasks to juggle later in the week, that's a legitimate factor to take into
consideration.

One final tip

Monotask even when you're not at work. Turn off your phone when hanging out with friends
or family. Focus fully on conversations. Read a book or do something creative, without
distraction. Be mindful with your moments; enjoy your non-work life fully. This will retrain
your brain to do one thing at a time, but also ensure that when it comes time to return to
work, you will do so re-energized and ready to get things done.
As we mentioned before, many of us decided to become entrepreneurs for the freedoms and
flexibility that decision afforded, so don't allow work to consume all your time. Strive to
work smarter, not harder or longer.

ARTICLE 3

How Does Multitasking Impact Productivity?

Multitasking means constantly switching between tasks, and sometimes that can destroy
your productivity. Countless studies have been conducted to determine multitasking's impact
on the brain and productivity. A 2009 Stanford University study from Clifford Nass found that
heavy multitaskers were less mentally organized, struggled at switching from one task to
another, and had a hard time differentiating relevant from irrelevant details.  

Since then, more research has emerged supporting the idea that multitasking may not be the
best way to get as many tasks as possible done throughout the day. It comes down to our
ability to focus – we are most effective when we focus our attention on one thing at a time. A
recent study by Bryan College found that balancing more than one task at a time actually
hinders employee performance, with an ultimate global cost of $450 million per year.

Andy Kerns, creative director at Digital Third Coast, says many people believe multitasking
is focusing on more than one task at a time, which is actually impossible. What's really
happening is you're shifting attention from one thing to the next – music to email to chat
alerts – every few seconds, without ever being fully present on one task, he said.

Keep in mind that these views on multitasking are mostly relevant in the workplace. It is
possible to multitask in some scenarios without hindering your overall desired output. Eating
and walking, for example, can still be accomplished without a catastrophic end. Folding
laundry and watching TV, while also considered multitasking, hardly carries the same weight
as texting while driving. Both affect how we learn and work, but as with most things, the
situation dictates when it's appropriate to multitask and when you should focus on one thing
at a time.

"The benefit or negative impact that multitasking has on productivity is subjective and
dependent on the task at hand," said Rachel Gauthier, practice leader of healthcare software
and services for The Tolan Group. "I am an amazing multitasker on the weekends when I
am juggling laundry, cleaning floors and getting my house back in order."

On the other hand, she said, if you're juggling a conference call, a client email and speaking
to a co-worker that can lead to a horrible mess. 

The negative impact of multitasking

Our brains can’t handle several complex tasks at once. With the rise of smartphones, that
can mean texting or listening to music while working can actually impair our productivity. No
matter what you're doing, multitasking will hurt your efficiency to some degree.

"Multitasking can hurt efficiency for a couple reasons: It takes time to switch between gears,
and the process of switching 'working sets' of information can lead to errors and
mistakes," said Bob Schafer, VP of research at Lumosity. "Being efficient at multitasking
really just means trying to make those costs as small as possible."

According to the Bryan College study, millennials switch from platform to platform 27 times
per hour. Additionally, multitasking lowers IQs by 15 points during cognitive tasks and
decreases emotional intelligence and brain density over time.

"We crave constant stimulation and fast rewards and lots of variety, so we bounce around in
the modern, digital environment trying to do a bunch of things really fast, all at once," Kerns
said. "The results are bad on every level – sloppy work, poor decision-making, increased
stress, lack of creativity, [etc.]."

He added that multitasking is unproductive because less quality work is produced, more
mistakes are made, and more money is lost.

How to work more efficiently

The first step to being more productive is creating a list of things you need to get done,
scheduling time to complete tasks, and devoting yourself fully to a task without the
distractions of a smartphone or even email. Gauthier said it could be useful to even schedule
in some time for interruptions.

"It isn't perfect – because let's face it, nothing is – but it eliminates time wasted trying to
figure out what needs to be taken care of, which feels like an accomplishment in itself," she
said.

Another important step is limiting distractions. Schafer said that it is definitely important to
prioritize and schedule your work, but also make sure you're focused on that work when
you do it. "Avoid having to make so many mental shifts to unnecessary things. Put
notifications on mute, eliminate outside distractions. When you do have to make mental
shifts, don't switch back and forth."

Schafer said that if you need to switch tasks, write down what's important about the current
task before switching to a new one. This can help you let go of the important information
from the prior task so you can fully focus on your next job. Because you have a summary of
the important info, you'll be less likely to lose track of your thoughts throughout the day.

How to help your team avoid multitasking

One of the best things you can do to help prevent your employees from multitasking is
encourage breaks. If a worker is overwhelmed by tasks without a lull in their work, they'll feel
more pressured to multitask. To avoid this, encourage your workers to unwind throughout
the day.

You can also build a culture of slower but more purposeful thinking. Multitasking is often a
result of outside distractions and stressors. It's bound to happen and shouldn't be punished.
However, encourage other methods, like slower and more careful thinking. "At the end of the
day, with all the distractions available to us, and with the freedoms we expect in a modern
workplace, it's unrealistic for employers to think they can control the amount of multitasking,"
Kerns said. "Instead, they should celebrate approaches to work that are the opposite of
impulsive and unfocused."

ARTICLE 4
The Negative Effects of Multitasking in the Workplace

Employers have long been encouraging multitasking as a way of increasing employee

productivity, but research shows it may do more harm than good. Several studies have
shown that high multitaskers experience greater problems focusing on important and
complicated tasks, memory impairment of new subject matter, difficulty learning new
material, and increased stress levels. This can ultimately lead to problems in delivering a
company’s products and services efficiently and competitively.

Decrease in focus and learning

In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine, researchers determined that

heavy media multitaskers are more susceptible to distractions from irrelevant stimuli,
resulting in greater problems focusing on important tasks. Employees are bombarded with
numerous distractions throughout the workday, from email to social media sites like
Facebook. Distracted employees can quickly lose focus on important tasks, often resulting in
the loss of creativity and innovation.

Science shows us that the brain can effectively process only one or two ideas or tasks at the
same time. When two or more tasks of the same magnitude are juggled, the brain’s normal
reaction is to slow down. What occurs is less productivity, instead of more. UCLA
psychologists report that multitasking also affects one’s ability to learn. This is very
detrimental to employers who constantly need to introduce new software to their employees
in order to stay competitive. A steep learning curve can take away from valuable time spent
on other important company processes.

Memory impairment

Multitasking can also impair memory. A 2009 study conducted by Stafford University showed
that constant distractions also impact multitaskers’ ability to recall crucial steps involved in a
complicated project. Information overload can result in an impairment of trivial and important
information differentiation. Employees experiencing this in the office can miss crucial steps in
a project or product line, resulting in a lower quality product or service.

Increased stress levels

Further studies show a negative physical effect in the body, in additional to a negative
cognitive effect. Multitaskers will experience a release of stress hormones and adrenaline in
the bodies. The result can often became a vicious cycle of constant multitasking, requiring
more time to complete a longer list of tasks, experiencing high stress, and multitasking even
more to compensate. The constant high stress level can cause employees to become sick
more, miss days of work, and decrease their overall work productivity.

Avoiding multitasking overload

HR professionals can use wellness initiatives to help their employees tackle the issue of
constant multitasking. Below are some ideas that can provide companies with a healthier
alternative:

■ Remind managers not to overwork employees – Many employees may become

compelled to multitask because they have a heavy workload. Remind managers to give
employees a realistic and manageable workload. During busy season, encourage managers
to hire temps to complete maintenance filing or database work.
■ Provide plenty of breaks away from the desk – Be sure employees take their breaks
away from their desks. Employees who take a break in their workstation may be tempted to
multitask things like email or phone messages when they should allow their mind and body
to relax.
■ Provide employees with time management skills – Many employees may try to over
multitask in order to compensate for their lack of time management skills. Provide them with
onsite or offsite classes they can participate in order to improve those time management
skills. A more organised employee will mean a happier and more productive employee in the
long run.

ARTICLE 5
Multitasking vs monotasking: Why multitasking doesn’t work

When speed, efficiency and performance count, monotasking wins every time, because
multitasking doesn’t work

With busy lives, long working hours and multiple distractions it’s easy to see why trying to
get more done by multitasking is appealing.
There’s just one problem. Multitasking doesn’t work, effectively reducing productivity by up to
40%.
We multitask because we think we can, because we believe we are good at it and because
we think it saves us time and energy. It’s a pity because for 98% of us this isn’t true. The 2%
of super taskers are the only ones endowed with the true cognitive ability to efficiently
multitask and until science works out a way to help the rest of us overcome this we will have
to manage using our existing cerebral model.
Can you train yourself to do better? No, it’s the one brain function that gets worse with
practice.
Multitasking or task switching doesn’t work because it requires the brain to operate in a way
that it wasn’t designed to. The cognitive cost includes increased fuel requirements (oxygen
and glucose) for the job leading to rapid mental exhaustion, reduced time efficiency, more
mistakes, reduced creativity, poorer analysis of data and poorer decision-making.
Research studies have shown how chronic serial media multitaskers can fragment their
attention to such a degree they reduce their ability to switch effectively to working well even
on single tasks.
Gloria Mark from the University of California Irvine believes our social conditioning to keep
reengaging with our digital technology is contributing to our shrinking attention span and
greater tendency to self-interrupt with our thoughts.
Resisting the siren’s allure of automatically responding to text messages, voice or email
begins with greater self-awareness and the conscious decision to more towards
monotasking and a more productive work culture.
This could include,
1. Technology-free meetings
Establish a meetings policy where all mobile phones and other technology (unless
specifically required) are not brought into the room.
2. Following best brain design
Encourage the work practice of allocating chunks of focused uninterrupted time of 60–90
minutes, interspersed with twenty-minute brain breaks.
The magic lies in the break that provides the brain the time required to reboot and refresh;
enjoying a little mind-wander to reveal an insight to a problem or taking a short walk to clear
the mind, reduce stress levels and enhance our feel good hormones.
3. Keeping technology out of sight in conversations.
Switch off technology (or turning to silent) during face-to-face conversations and keeping it
off the table. It’s been shown that the visible presence of a mobile phone is sufficient to
reduce attention and cognitive ability even when it’s not being used.
Maintaining attention and the ability to think deeply about things is an essential quality for
effective leadership.
4. Finding the reward.
Reward monotasking by prioritising the three 3 most important items on your daily schedule,
working sequentially through each in turn, with the mobile switched to silent, a “Do not
disturb” sign or gatekeeper.
Not only does this boost productivity, the reward of getting through those items early in the
day is highly motivating to do more good work.
Working with the brain in mind elevates productivity, efficiency and performance. It’s time to
ditch multitasking and choose to monotask instead.
SLIDE
REFERENCES

1. Lindsay Dodgson (2017). You should stop multitasking if you want to be more productive
— this is why Retrieved from https://www.insider.com/monotasking-better-than-
multitasking-2017-3

2. By Businessese. Train Your Brain: The Benefits Of Monotasking Retrieved from

https://www.businessese.com/the-benefits-of-monotasking/

3. Matt D'Angelo (2019) How Does Multitasking Impact Productivity?

Retrieved from http: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4019-multitasking-not-
productive.html

4. Workplace wellness system, The Negative Effects of Multitasking in the Workplace

Retrieved from http://workplacewellnesssystems.co.nz/the-negative-effects-of-
multitasking-in-the-workplace/

5. CEO Magazine (2017) Multitasking vs monotasking: Why multitasking doesn’t work

Retrieved from http: https://www.theceomagazine.com/business/management-
leadership/multitasking-vs-monotasking-why-multitasking-doesnt-work