Enhance Your Brain Efficiency: Three Strategies to Boost Your Productivity Levels
Overburdened by a multitude of tasks and responsibilities, many of us assume multitasking enhances productivity. Yet, a clinical neuropsychologist at UW Medicine, Dr. Nickolas Dasher, reveals otherwise. Contrary to popular belief, our brains are not designed to multitask, but rather, they swiftly switch focus as we juggle multiple jobs.
According to Dr. Dasher, while it might seem as though one is multitasking when responding to an email during a meeting, this isn't the reality. In essence, our brains are constantly reengaging and disengaging their focus each time we shift between tasks, consuming both time and energy.
There are three main networks in our brains responsible for focus. The dorsal attention network processes visual and external stimuli, the ventral network integrates sensory and internal stimuli, such as emotions, and the frontoparietal network mediates between the two to determine what stimuli is relevant and what can be disregarded.
Multitasking, however, has significant drawbacks. It increases cognitive load, the amount of information our working memory is handling at a given time, leading to subsequent mistakes and forgetfulness. Moreover, the rampant switching of focus slows us down since our brains need time to 'reboot' between tasks—similar to a computer that needs to restart between processes.
These consequences contribute to feelings of stress and overwhelm. Task switching saps mental resources, leaving us with imperfect work, unfinished projects, and a hazy memory of meetings—far from promoting tranquility.
So, how can productivity level up, while anxiety levels dwindle? Dr. Dasher offers three suggestions:
- Manage stress through diaphragmatic breathing, which stimulates the parasympathetic system, the counterpart to the fight-or-flight response, promoting relaxation and rest.
- Chunk out time, prioritizing tasks, and setting aside dedicated intervals for one task at a time, using techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique.
- Limit distractions and create focused work environments, seeking to enter the 'flow' state, where heightened attention allows for optimal performance and a dopamine boost.
Though sailing through multiple tasks in parallel seems appealing, it is actually counterproductive in most cases, with a hefty price tag in terms of stress and lost productivity. Instead, seeking to streamline tasks and prioritize focus promises a path to increased productivity and a less frazzled existence.
Work-life balance can be improved by limiting distractions and creating focused work environments, which helps enter the 'flow' state and promotes productivity, reducing stress and burnout. Education-and-self-development on effective methods such as the Pomodoro Technique, where tasks are prioritized and worked on for dedicated intervals, can lead to personal-growth and increased productivity.
