The Folly of Multitasking

A popular question in interviews is: "Can you multitask?" Here is the answer I would be giving. Multitasking is defined as doing two or more tasks simultaneously. Yes you can do one task, stop, then do another, stop, then do another, but that is not multitasking. The human brain can only process one input at any given moment. Even a computer with a single processor does not multitask. It can switch a hundred times between tasks within a single second, but only one task can be active at any given moment. It is the same with the human brain. Our mind can only be at a single point at any given moment. A few years back I was driving down a very straight road in the late evening, when I suddenly noticed a very bright light in the left of my peripheral vision. I leaned to the right and turned my head to the right as well, just enough so I could still see the road ahead. Then the side window exploded and the car rocked violently. I pulled over, just as the teenage driver got out of the car still on his mobile. He was driving straight as well and wanted to make a left turn. Too bad for him I was in the way. Yes you can drive and talk on the phone, but you can either pay attention to the road or the conversation, but not both. Sure you can do both half axe, but obviously not both very well. But we have now the "hands free" law. It does not matter where your hands are, but where your mind is.
There is something to be said for single tasking. You focus on one task, do it well and in my opinion there is less stress. Try to do more than one task at the same time your stress level goes way up.