Multitaskers' downfall

'Ugly Betty' shows need to focus on one task at a time

By Nicole Zerillo | Special to amNewYork

November 19, 2007

Poor Ugly Betty. What doesn't ABC's favorite brace-face, Betty Suarez, put up with as assistant to the editor in chief of Mode?

Amidst a constant barrage of telephone calls, text messages and e-mails, Betty must cope with everyday office nightmares such as a know-it-all boss without a clue and a bottomless work pile to the more prime-time issues of deportation and death threats.

Making bad choice after bad choice, Betty's famed problem-solving skills have taken a nosedive in the second season. Sure, her faulty reasoning enables the show's writers to throw more pies in her face and raise ratings, but a British study might place the blame on Betty's Blackberry.

According to a study done at the Institute of Psychiatry for Hewlett Packard, intelligence drops by as much as 10 IQ points when workers are constantly sidetracked by texts, e-mails or phone calls.

By frequently shifting focus away from tasks to respond to messages or calls, researchers found the effect on workers' mental clarity equated with a lost night's sleep.

"I never hear the word 'multitasking' until someone is overwhelmed," said Annemarie Segaric, a career coach at Segaric.com.

"Multitasking is a buzz word that no one seems to do particularly well, because going back and forth between unrelated projects just consumes more mental energy, is never an efficient use of time and just creates a chaotic mind-set."

A stray text message or phone call can be a welcome diversion. However, a continuous back-and-forth between current projects and communication devices has the potential for project mix-ups, failed deadlines and drained energy.

"It's best to carve out different times in your schedule to answer the bulk of your messages. It keeps you focused," Segaric said. "The night before or [at] the beginning of your workday ... map out your priorities, determine how long each will take and what time would be best to carry them out."

Also, make sure your multitasking isn't a mask for procrastination. Segaric advises "putting the energy you would have wasted on avoidance tactics on how good you'll feel once the project is finished."