General Discussions => General discussions => Topic started by: ChrissyRyan on March 20, 2026, 04:44:01 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: ChrissyRyan on March 20, 2026, 04:44:01 PM
Post by: ChrissyRyan on March 20, 2026, 04:44:01 PM
Can you multitask well?
That may mean at any instant you are balancing your attention on more than one task concurrently (not simultaneously, there is a difference), or during a longer period of time you can go back and forth and somehow everything gets done well as compared to simply doing things more sequentially.
It is not necessarily better to have your hands in multiple pots concurrently (epecially if they contain boiling water or hot chocolate fondue) or to simply concentrate on one task until you reach a natural stopping point, then put it aside and work on the next most urgent task.
Chrissy
That may mean at any instant you are balancing your attention on more than one task concurrently (not simultaneously, there is a difference), or during a longer period of time you can go back and forth and somehow everything gets done well as compared to simply doing things more sequentially.
It is not necessarily better to have your hands in multiple pots concurrently (epecially if they contain boiling water or hot chocolate fondue) or to simply concentrate on one task until you reach a natural stopping point, then put it aside and work on the next most urgent task.
Chrissy
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: Lori Dee on March 20, 2026, 05:10:02 PM
Post by: Lori Dee on March 20, 2026, 05:10:02 PM
Definitely not. I tend to be highly focused on one thing at a time. I may have a dozen things on my To-Do List, but they still get handled one at a time with my full attention.
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: Rochelle on March 20, 2026, 05:13:12 PM
Post by: Rochelle on March 20, 2026, 05:13:12 PM
I multi-task pretty crazy. They say it's not good for you or it's not real but my perception of it is I do it. I get comments about it at work about how I do it and keep track of things. I think some of it may have come from police work in the past. You have to do multiple things at once and keep an awareness of it all. Certain things get technical and get full attention but not my norm. 💚
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: KathyLauren on March 20, 2026, 05:22:27 PM
Post by: KathyLauren on March 20, 2026, 05:22:27 PM
No, one thing at a time.
When I was working, I found that I could handle one interruption okay. I would still only do one thing at a time, but I could handle the interruption and then, with ten minutes of mental effort, get back to what I was doing. But if the interruption itself got interrupted, all bets were off. I'd handle the second interruption and maybe get back to the first interruption, but when it came time to get back to the original task, it would take a full half hour to figure out what the heck it had been all about.
In my experience, people who think they are really good at multi-tasking aren't really as good at it as they think they are. They end up doing a poor job of both tasks. It is possible that there are exceptions, but I haven't met one yet.
When I was working, I found that I could handle one interruption okay. I would still only do one thing at a time, but I could handle the interruption and then, with ten minutes of mental effort, get back to what I was doing. But if the interruption itself got interrupted, all bets were off. I'd handle the second interruption and maybe get back to the first interruption, but when it came time to get back to the original task, it would take a full half hour to figure out what the heck it had been all about.
In my experience, people who think they are really good at multi-tasking aren't really as good at it as they think they are. They end up doing a poor job of both tasks. It is possible that there are exceptions, but I haven't met one yet.
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: Stottie Girl on March 20, 2026, 05:42:29 PM
Post by: Stottie Girl on March 20, 2026, 05:42:29 PM
Historically no but I am getting better in the admin job I do, That requires high level multitasking. At home though nope, I'm useless. Can't pat my head and rub my tummy either!
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: Charlotte Kitty on March 20, 2026, 05:45:06 PM
Post by: Charlotte Kitty on March 20, 2026, 05:45:06 PM
I have to do it everyday at work as I basically do what would be 5 or 6 separate peoples jobs at a bigger company. I don't like it though as I make loads of mistakes.
Charlotte 😻
Charlotte 😻
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: ChrissyRyan on March 20, 2026, 06:04:40 PM
Post by: ChrissyRyan on March 20, 2026, 06:04:40 PM
Quote from: Charlotte Kitty on March 20, 2026, 05:45:06 PMI have to do it everyday at work as I basically do what would be 5 or 6 separate peoples jobs at a bigger company. I don't like it though as I make loads of mistakes.
Charlotte 😻
Charlotte,
Aim for a "six sigma" level of mistakes. It is likely not humanly possible but it is a standard for quality control processes.
It may require less multitasking.
Easy for me to say I know because I am not in your job position. I am glad you can balance things though.
Chrissy
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: Sephirah on March 20, 2026, 06:14:24 PM
Post by: Sephirah on March 20, 2026, 06:14:24 PM
Decently well, I suppose. My Navy training was geared around trying to be in several places at once.
Title: Re: Can you “multitask” well?
Post by: Dawn Kellie on March 21, 2026, 11:07:11 AM
Post by: Dawn Kellie on March 21, 2026, 11:07:11 AM
I was better when I was younger. I would read multiple books concurrently. Going back and forth in one sitting.
As an electrician you kind of have to. Your in a hot panel you have to know where your hands are where the bad stuff is and do your work. I can still do all that but it's not as easy as it was. Or, I got smarter and think about what I'm doing more. I'd like to the the latter but you know.
As an electrician you kind of have to. Your in a hot panel you have to know where your hands are where the bad stuff is and do your work. I can still do all that but it's not as easy as it was. Or, I got smarter and think about what I'm doing more. I'd like to the the latter but you know.