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Classical music seems to be the best, or music with lyrics in a language I don't
understand (i.e Opera). The point being that music containing anything that draws
attention to it (lyrics or a heavy beat) tends to shift my focus away from whatever task
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7/02/12 1:19pm Frogwater started this thread
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Frogwater (http://frogwater.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 1:19pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995273#c
(http://frogwater.kinja.com)
Wouldn't we just evolve to be better at multitasking? Sure we won't see it happening,
nor our great grandkids. But maybe the brain is capable of becoming better at
something it struggles with in the beginning. The factors that cause people to
multitask won't go away any time soon, so lets just cross our ngers that we get better
at i....*eats burrito*
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our-brains?comment=50994837#comments)
I'm currently working on.
Moon (
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while I work!
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have funny accents :)
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http://mrcookiedough.kinja.com) James Emberton
http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099
Similar here. I maintain a playlist of material that's more or less a blending of celtic
and newage. when there are words, they're often in Gaelic, so the music is toned down
and doesn't require that I ("get"?) it, something like that.
(http://happygardeningmama0
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Glad to know I'm not the only one who listens to music in languages I don't speak
http://josesmael.kinja.com) Tamales y Atole
http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50994916
For me it's all trance music podcasts while I'm working, although I will admit when
the DJ jumps on and starts talking about the next/previous track it gets a bit
distracting. Not sure if it's just that dierent words are being spoken to me while I'm
trying to write up documentation, or just because the best DJ's are foreign and they all
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7/02/12 7:19am Brandchan started this thread
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Brandchan (http://brandchan.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 7:19am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50994827#
(http://brandchan.kinja.com)
I'm terrible at multitasking. The most I normally do listen to music while working. I
might listen to a podcast when I am doing very rote work, but I'll pause it when I need
to actually think about what I am doing. If people are chatting with me online and I
get an assignment I end all my conversations and then start work.
The worst for me is my roommate he will start talking to me and won't stop for me to
pause whatever I'm listening/watching at the moments. So, I when I do pause it, I
have to make him all repeat it over again. He just doesn't seem to get it.
7/02/12 8:23am Moon started this thread
Moon (http://mrcookiedough.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 8:23am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099
(http://mrcookiedough.kinja.com)
I often question if there really is such a thing as multitasking, if it's just something we
and our computers only *appear* to be doing, when in reality we're just doing some
very very fast shuing of priorities from moment to moment. Such things happen so
fast, they only seem to be
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7/02/12 2:20pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099535
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I've had a similar experience. During interviews when they ask you about your
"multitasking" skills, I lie through my teeth because I know it's just a myth. All they
really want to know is how well you stand up to 5-10 people telling you to do things
at once. In my job I can be working on a few dierent computers at once. To do it
eciently I have to set up mental notes with each machine as to what's needed and/or
been done. I switch when there is a wait cycle, much like a processor does. As long as
I don't get derailed by someone who thinks that my closed door means "Come on in
and talk to me about your kid's crappy laptop."
witeowl (http://witeowl.kinja.com) Frogwater
7/02/12 2:46pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995386#co
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It all depends. Will multitaskers be more successful at reproduction?
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simultaneous.
7/02/12 11:04am jccalhoun started this thread
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jccalhoun (http://jccalhoun.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 11:04am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995106#
(http://jccalhoun.kinja.com)
"The interesting part is that our brains can't multitask at all."
I think that depends on how you dene "multitasking." Our brains can tell our hearts
to beat and lungs to function while we do something else. Is that not multitasking?
7/02/12 7:21am sakisaki6 started this thread
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sakisaki6 (http://sakisaki6.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 7:21am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50994828#c
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I've never been able to listen to music and work. I almost always tune out work and
focus on the music.
7/02/12 7:24am tomu started this thread
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http://thundalarchsys.kinja.com) Moon
http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099
Depends on the person, their relative IQ, and a handful of talents, but hey, I've done
research similar to this myself, and came away miles ahead of my competition.
Multitasking isn't for everyone, it's kinda something you have to be born to do (thus
talents and IQ).
Multi-tasking in a computer sense is possible with multi-core computers, but as you
mentioned there's little dierence to an outside observer between the two.
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jccalhoun
http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995143#c
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Multitasking as in 'activities', not automatic functions. Those are controlled by a
separate part of the brain.
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tomu (http://tomu-old.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 7:24am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50994831#c
(http://tomu-old.kinja.com)
Im a huge believer in the ecacy of doing one thing at a time but have habits so
ingrained that my alt-tab ngers operate without intervention from my brain. Maybe
some kind of nger splint would help break the twitch.
7/02/12 1:05pm Jay L started this thread
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Jay L (http://jayl01.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 1:05pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=50995247#com
(http://jayl01.kinja.com)
I can denitely understand how focusing on one task at a time allows you to be more
productive. However, I also believe that you can benet from taking a break after ~an
hour of working on something, and then doing something else. Making progress on
multiple dierent tasks in this way provides a similar feeling of high productivity, but
also allows you to get a feel for exactly how much work you have on your plate.
Obviously, not every task can be broken up into hour-long work sessions, but if I can
diversify what I'm working on, I won't get bored of my work.In terms of making to-do
lists, I've found that just making the old-fashioned, linear lists don't quite cut it for me
anymore. One method I've found quite useful is the Eisenhower method, which is a
2x2 matrix that organizes your tasks by urgency v.s. importance. It's a nice, visual way
to look at your tasks and choose which one to work on based on how necessary it is to
complete at that point in time. I've been using an iOS app, the Appuence Priority
Matrix, that is based on this methodology, and it's been working well for managing
multiple tasks.
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Replying to approve. The approve button is STILL broken for me!
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Same here, gotta gure out how to deprogram this kinda problem
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7/02/12 8:22am iCurmudgeon started this thread
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iCurmudgeon (http://icurmudgeon-old.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 8:22am (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=509
(http://icurmudgeon-old.kinja.com)
I keep several windows open at once, but all but the one I'm working on are
minimized, and I keep all audible notications o. I also quit Twitter, which I nd to
be nothing but a great time-waster, and never joined Facebook to begin with. If I have
something important that requires my attention I will switch my phone o. Call me a
Luddite, but I get things done.
However I will admit to trying to watch TV and read a book at the same time and
nd that I'm constantly going over the same page and/or hitting the quick rewind on
the TiVo repeatedly. Yep, multitasking doesn't work there for sure.
7/02/12 12:08pm PetyrBaelish started this thread
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PetyrBaelish (http://petyrbaelish.kinja.com) Leo Wildrich
7/02/12 12:08pm (http://lifehacker.com/5922453/what-multitasking-does-to-our-brains?comment=5099517
(http://petyrbaelish.kinja.com)
This also presumes objective of the multi tasker is to maximize daily output. When in
reality the objective is to meet the required output in the most enjoyable fashion
possible.
Certainly, when I was in high school and doing homework while watching television,
it wasn't doing so because I thought watching television would improve the quality of
the product. Rather it was that given the choice of just watching television or just
doing homework, I would do no home work at all. Or rather do 15 minutes worth and
then get bored.
When I went to college, I would have to lock myself in some remote corner of the
stacks, to prevent similar "multi tasking". But my objective had changed and the
increase of quantity and quality of out put was the goal. However, I was miserable.
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