The Myth of Multitasking (Dave Crenshaw)

The Myth of Multitasking: How "Doing It All" Gets Nothing Done
Dave Crenshaw
Jossey-Bass
Nonfiction, Business/Self-Help
***+ (Okay/Good)

DESCRIPTION: In a fable for the modern business world, consultant Phil helps business owner Helen figure out how the corporate myth of "multitasking" is costing her company more time, energy, and money than she realized - and what to do about it.

REVIEW: A few years back, I watched Crenshaw's time management lecture course via Lynda's online learning site, so I thought I'd track down his book. As numerous studies indicate, multitasking is not something a human brain actually does. In truth, brains and computers only do one thing at a time. The problem is that a computer processor switches tasks so fast a human doesn't notice the lag, so the human thinks they can do the same, when in fact every switch costs time - sometimes mere seconds, sometimes minutes - that adds up to startling amounts of waste, not to mention mistakes and frustrations.
The fictional Phil walks Helen and subordinate Sally through a few exercises that point out how counterproductive the concept of multitasking truly is, and offers some steps to remedy the situation, improve actual productivity, and reduce stress all around. He is, however, intentionally vague on several points; I suspect this book was originally part of a live lecture/course series, wherein Crenshaw provided more detailed (and likely customized) information beyond the few worksheets included at the back, meaning the book was never intended to stand completely on its own. As such, it loses a little effectiveness when read without supplemental material or support. (It also has limited use beyond the corporate world; when one takes books out of boxes at a part-time warehouse job, dealing with phone calls from co-workers or scheduling regular meeting times with nonexistent subordinates isn't really an issue.) I also found the fable structure forced; why couldn't Crenshaw just write a nonfiction book, with anecdotes and study excerpts to back up claims and emphasize points?
The Myth of Multitasking makes a decent, quick-reading counterpoint to the continued cultural insistence that, thanks to technology, we can overcome our evolved mental capacities and do it all, all at once. Mental resources, like time and money, need to be budgeted carefully; they are not infinite, and no smartphone or app is ever going to change that. (To be honest, though, I got more out of the Lynda courses, which delved into more specifics of setting up a calendar, dealing with physical as well as mental clutter, and other issues that come up when trying to make a major change. Since Lynda access is now offered through some library services for free, I'd suggest taking a look for yourself if you're serious about breaking the multitasking habit.)

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