Are computers better than humans? That’s not what this essay is about, but there is one definite category in which computers are completely beating humans. Computers are way better than us humans when it comes to multitasking. It is hard to tell, considering how much humans like to boast that they can perform better when accomplishing multiple tasks simultaneously. In reality, if we look at how well people are at multitasking, we might find that it should really just be left to the computers. If we focus less on trying to multitask and focus more on trying to prioritize our time correctly, we will find greater success in our endeavors in life.

In an article for Education Week, Sarah D. Sparks uses a variety of research to explore whether humans are good at, or even capable of, multitasking. According to the article, during their hours spent outside of school, the average teenager uses over six types of media at the same time. When students are constantly giving pieces of their attention to everything around them, the result is that they are not are able to focus hard enough on anything. Our brains are not able to “be in two places at once,” according to Steven G. Yantis of Johns Hopkins University. In addition to our brains not being capable of successfully multitasking, it actually takes more time to complete two tasks at once than if we had done them individually. If we attempt to multitask with two things that need us to make a decision, this ends up causing the part of our brains that is in charge of making decisions to momentarily slow down. Therefore, one of the tasks will be briefly put off, until a choice is made specific to the other task. According to a study by Stanford University, multitaskers will perform worse on memory and attention tests than those who do not multitask. Whenever possible, we should focus on one specific task at a time, particularly if those tasks involve making choices. However, when the demands of life require our attention be spread, it is best to develop ways of cognitively prioritizing tasks (Sparks).

There have been times when I felt that I needed to multitask in order to survive. The real survival skill was being able to prioritize well. I worked at a clinic where I was required to train to do multiple jobs. This cross-training meant that, in any given moment, there could be multiple tasks that were my responsibility. Not all responsibilities were equal; if more than one task demanded my attention at once, I would need to organize everything by the highest priority. For instance, a patient calling should take priority over filling out paperwork, but a patient calling with a medical emergency should trump any other calls. There were many times that I wished my brain could be in two places at once, particularly when multiple tasks would be simultaneously the most important things and things only I was trained to do. At times, I could feel the slowdown that would be caused by two high priority tasks demanding me to make a decision. Though always focusing my attention on what the most urgent and important things were meant that most of it got done, there were things which fell through the cracks. Most notably, I would prioritize my own needs the lowest, leaving things like breaks and eating undone. The tasks I had been performing might have been more efficient had I not been hungry and tired.

Our time prioritization is very flawed if it lets us miss meals or to ignore our own self-care. If we prioritize our time using Stephen Covey’s time management matrix, we don’t leave out unimportant, low urgency tasks. Rather we sort these low priority tasks into a different category than those that are important or urgent. With this matrix, we sort all the activities we work on into one of four quadrants. In this first quadrant, we place the things that are important and urgent; they are necessary to do and need to be done promptly. In the second quadrant, we place activities that, while important to accomplish, do not need to be done promptly. In that vein, if something needs to be done immediately, but we don’t consider it important, we place that task in the third quadrant. Everything else fills the fourth quadrant; this is where anything we do that is neither important nor urgent. Beyond just sorting our activities into categories, this matrix helps us to evaluate how spend our time in the best way. Taking time to better ourselves and prepare for the future, allows us to be better equipped to handle unexpected responsibilities that may arise (Mueller).

When I used Stephen Covey’s time management matrix to organize the tasks I needed to complete, I found that I have been mismanaging my time. I spend most of my life in the fourth, least important, least urgent quadrant. When I waste my focus on the smartphone games and social media of the fourth quadrant, it enables me to ignore the activities in the other, more worthwhile quadrants. I also found some items that were not urgent, would become urgent if I ignored them. In addition to using the time matrix, I can employ other strategies to help me manage my time. By setting aside “blocks of study time” and “dedicated study spaces” I can make sure that I am spending enough time on school work in an area without distractions (Landsberger).

Ultimately, our attention is best when it is not divided. Just because we can write papers while watching Netflix and put on mascara while driving, doesn’t mean we should do it. We may “save time” doing things this way, but the time saved is time wasted if we get back low-marked papers and cause car accidents. We multitaskers may believe we are these paragons of efficient time management, when the reality is that we’re just lazy students and inattentive drivers. Focusing on one thing at a time means we are less likely to make mistakes and more likely to do quality work. If we manage our time well, we can give the right amount of effort and attention to what we need to do in order to reduce crises and unexpected causes of stress. In conclusion, good time management is an essential skill to living a successful life and multitasking is for the computers.

Works cited

Landsberger, Joe. "Time Management." Study Guides and Strategies). n.d. Web. 1 April 2016.

<http://www.studygs.net/timman.htm>.

Mueller, Steve. "Stephen Covey's Time Management Matrix Explained." Planet of Success. 09

Oct. 2015. Web. 1 April 2016. <http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2015/stephen-coveys-time-management-matrix-explained/>.

Sparks, Sarah D. "Studies on Multitasking Highlight Value of Self-Control." Education Week. 15

May 2012. Web. 1 April 2016. <http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/16/31multitasking_ep.h31.html>.