Reducing Multitasking Reduces Anxiety

Proud of your ability to multitask? In recent years, multitasking has become a valued skill…even a survival skill in our hectic world. Most recently, multitasking has skyrocketed as handheld devices have many of us sending and receiving text messages in the middle of doing just about anything.

Think that talking on your cell phone while driving increases efficiency? A recent study shows that talking drivers actually take longer to reach their destinations.

If you play tennis with two balls, is your game really as good as it is with one ball?

Multitasking causes the brain to use extra energy switching back and forth between tasks. It also adversely impacts your ability to concentrate over time and increases the probability of error. Multitasking causes stress and your body responds by releasing cortisol. Too much cortisol puts you in a constant state of stress and anxiety, as well as contributing to various other health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes.

Go Linear. Do an experiment by consciously doing and completing one thing at a time, giving it your complete attention. It feels good to complete it and move on to the next. This is an area I can improve on myself. Join me in a trial of Going Linear!