Multitasking works, but only in few scenario. Multitasking is biggest culprit in delay in projects. Managers love to work on multiple projects. They complete very few in end. Multitasking gives feeling of productivity. But in end, we keep jumping from one task to another.
Multi-tasking is the act of stopping a task before it is completed and shifting to something else. Each time a person has to re-start a task, time is required to become re-familiarized with the work and get re-set in where he was in the process.
While the loss in efficiency is not insignificant, especially in “knowledge work”. It needs more focused approach. Thoughts break in between deteriorates quality. We need consistency for creative work. Book writer, painter, or artist can’t do multitasking. Only managers believe in it.
Emphasis should be on segregation of knowledge work and transactional work. Both needed but cost is different. Time is a commodity we all want to save. Optimization helps. But differentiation of low value transaction and high value knowledge work should be distinct.
Multitasking should happen at low value tasks. At high value , class items, quality work, creative expression, multitasking fails.
What is your view?
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