Multi-tasking? Yay or Nay?

I just read another article from a pretty solid neuroscience guy who says the modern world is bad for our brain. We answer our phone in meetings to say we can’t talk, we’re in a meeting. We check our email constantly. We tried to study while we’re watching television. And, our brains don’t work at peak performance that way.

My desk at the day job, at a CLEAN moment.

Now, I’m a big multi-tasker. At the day job, if you come to ask me a question, I’m probably finishing up the last task I started on my computer while you talk. But if I was honest with myself, maybe I’m not doing either you or the task a favor.

On our way to Yellowstone.

I don’t mind letting the phone take a message when I’m busy. But checking my email – call me guilty on that one. I love my new i-phone (I switched over from an android a few weeks ago.) I can check email, Facebook, twitter, update photos with a few clicks… basically pretend I’m sitting at my office desk when really, I’m in the passenger seat of the car and my husband is driving us to the cabin.

I used to turn on the tunes when I was writing, but recently, I’ve come to enjoy the quiet. So much so that when my husband works out of his office next door, I’m annoyed at the sounds. (He gets a lot of phone calls.)

Writing at the airport.

So what about you? Are you a multi-tasker? Or do you follow the one thing at a time rule?

Lynn

FYI, the January sale ($1.99) on GUIDEBOOK is coming to a close. If you want to check out the Tourist Trap series, this is a great way to feed your e-reader for cheap. :)