Multitasking not good for your health
In this high-tech, high-pressure age, multitasking has become a national pastime. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, we can always add one more ball to the juggling act.
Doing several tasks simultaneously may seem like the height of efficiency — and it would be, if a person had more than one brain. In the real world, multitasking actually wastes time and reduces work quality.
But these aren’t the most worrisome consequence of multitasking. It can lead to stress, which in the short term, makes you feel lousy.
Over time, stress can lead to more serious health problems — and that's not even counting the dangers of sending a fax while changing lanes.
Whenever demands exceed abilities, stress is bound to follow. The brain responds to impossible demands by pumping out adrenaline and other stress hormones that put you “on edge.”
These hormones provide a quick burst of energy, but this won’t make multitasking easier. An old pickup can’t go 150 miles per hour no matter how hard you step on the gas.
A steady flow of stress hormones can strain the body and threaten health. Numerous studies have found that on-the-job stress can cause headaches, stomach trouble and sleep problems. Chronic work-related stress can lead to back pain, heart disease and depression.
So what should you do when the phone rings and the email pings? First, organize your work life to cut down on multitasking as much as possible.
Start with ignoring the phone and turning off email alerts while you're working on an important project.
No matter how demanding your job is, you can take steps to protect yourself from stress. These include meditation, regular exercise and a healthy diet. Just don't try doing all three at once.
Source: HealthDay News
