Multitasking: Is it good or bad?

Multitasking has become a part of our everyday life. We do it when we're at home and when we're at the office. In fact, right now you may be reading this while trying to make dinner or while you're watching your favorite TV show. At the office, you might get into the habit of checking your emails while on a conference call. The idea of multitasking seems only beneficial. After all, you're getting multiple things done at one time – what could be bad about that? The truth is, multitasking may not be as good as everyone thinks it is.

Quality of work
When you multitask, you get several things done at once, but how well are you accomplishing each task? When you're trying to focus on numerous things simultaneously, it's likely that the quality of what you're doing may suffer. Say, for instance, you're replying to an email while you're on the phone with a customer. Your email may end up having several spelling mistakes, and your sentences may not make sense. Or maybe you're focusing too much on the email, and you're missing important information that your customer is trying to convey to you.

The bottom line? Concentrate on one item at a time so you can give 100 percent effort. Information you missed over the phone with your client while you were trying to send an email could mean the difference between keeping that customer and losing them to a competitor.

The evidence
There have been numerous studies regarding multitasking and how it affects not only performance, but IQ as well.

Reduced performance: According to a study conducted by researchers at Stanford, people who multitask on a frequent basis were worse at multitasking than those who like to do a single thing at a time. The multitaskers performed worse because they had trouble switching their thoughts back and forth between different things. The study also found that doing one thing at a time was actually more efficient than trying to get numerous things accomplished at once.

A lower IQ: In a different study conducted at the University of London, researchers compared the effects of multitasking to pulling an all-nighter. Turns out, the study participants who multitasked during various cognitive tasks showed the same mental decline as those who had stayed up all night. There was a plunge in IQ of about 15 points for men in the study who multitasked. That drop put the men in the same IQ range as an 8-year-old. In some cases, multitasking could be like asking your 8-year-old nephew to send a quick email to a client while you're on the phone.

Tips to avoid multitasking
I'm fully aware that multitasking is hard to stop doing, as it becomes somewhat of a habit. Here are some tips to help you stop:

• Be present: If you're on the phone, dedicate all of your energy to whomever you're speaking with. Listen to what they're saying, jotting down any notes. Close out your email for the time being so you don't get distracted by other things.
• Finish: Always finish a task before moving onto the next one, otherwise you may be tempted to tackle two things at once. Knowing that you've crossed something off of your list may even boost your productivity. Jot down deadlines and dates on your desk calendar to keep track of what you have to do throughout the week.
• Put down your phone: Thanks smartphones, you can continue working even when you're at home. That's why it's important to draw the line between work and home life. Put your phone away when you get home or even turn it off, allowing you to focus on other things, whether that's spending time with family, watching TV or cooking dinner.