2008 Woodie Awards
Handling multiple tasks not so difficult
Barbara Harrington/Staff Reporter
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
"The problem with this kind of technology is that it is being introduced at an age when people have not established managerial skills and are still susceptible to the distractions that these technologies often promote," Grafman said.
Jeffrey Stowell, associate professor of psychology, agrees with Grafman.
Stowell said technology has taken our attention away from other things. This extra distraction easily draws us away from the task at hand.
While watching television or listening to homework while studying may make the experience more enjoyable for some, Grafman said too much multitasking can have serious consequences.
Grafman said multitasking under time constraints will cause stress. Grafman said constant stress kills neurons in the brain structure, such as in the hippocampus and frontal lobes, which affects a person's ability to make decisions and remember.
But Stowell said multitasking does not only have a negative affect on our brain, but on the rest of our body as well.
Stowell said when a person experiences stress, the body releases cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands which acts as our body's own anti-inflammatory drug. It also helps to break down food for energy.
When too much cortisol is pumped out, Stowell said the hormone powerfully suppresses the immune system, resulting in illness.
Sparenberg said she does not think multitasking will ever go away. Although she does not multitask often, Sparenberg said she feels society promotes multitasking because of the many demands it makes of its members.
"I think it's pretty much required of students to multitask - definitely to some extent," she said.
With finals next week, Grafman and Stowell said students should prioritize the tasks they need to accomplish, in order to avoid become overly stressed.
Grafman said it is ok to multitask sometimes; it just depends on the individual and the tasks at hand.
"It is not so much how much you are doing at once," he said. " But about the level of detail and deliberation required by each task for a high quality performance."
Stowell said students should try to distribute their energy equally across their coursework, unless they know one exam will be more difficult than the others.
He also said students should begin studying a little bit everyday, even if only for five minutes. Being exposed to the information on a daily basis will keep it fresh in the student's mind, allowing them to retain more of the material.
And if a student begins to feel overwhelmed by their upcoming finals, Stowell said it's important to remain calm.
"The first rule in our family is don't freak out," he said. "Realize you are going to make it no matter what and give it your best. Then be happy that you gave it your best."
Jeffrey Stowell, associate professor of psychology, agrees with Grafman.
Stowell said technology has taken our attention away from other things. This extra distraction easily draws us away from the task at hand.
While watching television or listening to homework while studying may make the experience more enjoyable for some, Grafman said too much multitasking can have serious consequences.
Grafman said multitasking under time constraints will cause stress. Grafman said constant stress kills neurons in the brain structure, such as in the hippocampus and frontal lobes, which affects a person's ability to make decisions and remember.
But Stowell said multitasking does not only have a negative affect on our brain, but on the rest of our body as well.
Stowell said when a person experiences stress, the body releases cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands which acts as our body's own anti-inflammatory drug. It also helps to break down food for energy.
When too much cortisol is pumped out, Stowell said the hormone powerfully suppresses the immune system, resulting in illness.
Sparenberg said she does not think multitasking will ever go away. Although she does not multitask often, Sparenberg said she feels society promotes multitasking because of the many demands it makes of its members.
"I think it's pretty much required of students to multitask - definitely to some extent," she said.
With finals next week, Grafman and Stowell said students should prioritize the tasks they need to accomplish, in order to avoid become overly stressed.
Grafman said it is ok to multitask sometimes; it just depends on the individual and the tasks at hand.
"It is not so much how much you are doing at once," he said. " But about the level of detail and deliberation required by each task for a high quality performance."
Stowell said students should try to distribute their energy equally across their coursework, unless they know one exam will be more difficult than the others.
He also said students should begin studying a little bit everyday, even if only for five minutes. Being exposed to the information on a daily basis will keep it fresh in the student's mind, allowing them to retain more of the material.
And if a student begins to feel overwhelmed by their upcoming finals, Stowell said it's important to remain calm.
"The first rule in our family is don't freak out," he said. "Realize you are going to make it no matter what and give it your best. Then be happy that you gave it your best."
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