Does multitasking work?
It's time for homework. The son is sitting at his desk, pen in hand and seems to be doing maths. But his smartphone keeps beeping, he swaps his pen for his mobile phone and answers his friends. He doesn't want to hear the well-meaning «You can't concentrate like that» and assures them: «I can multitask.»
It is quite possible that he is convinced of this - after all, this multitasking is exemplified to him everywhere. In most cases, it is a certain type of media consumption that adults seem to pursue on the side. However, children and young people are very easily distracted. This is because their frontal cortex is not yet fully developed. Among other things, this area of the brain is responsible for coordinating different goals and planning one's own actions. On average, the frontal cortex only reaches its full size in 18-year-olds. Until the adolescent brain has learnt to focus its attention, it needs a lot of practice and few distractions. This means, even if the youngsters don't like to hear it: turn off the TV and radio and put the mobile phone out of reach when studying. Some experts even advise that no media should be used 30 minutes before and after homework: «The brain needs time so that what has been learnt can be stored,» according to the task help service of the city of Zurich.
Everything, but nothing right
Whether it is possible to do things simultaneously also depends on the type of task. Routine tasks can be combined quite easily. Making a phone call while ironing, for example, works without any problems, and many people can also let their thoughts run free while listening to music.
From a neurological point of view, however, there is no such thing as multitasking. The brain can only concentrate on one or at most two activities at the same time. «We only have 100 per cent brain capacity. If we divide this up between different tasks, we inevitably have less capacity for each task,» says Lutz Jäncke, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Zurich. If, on the other hand, tasks were completed one after the other, we would ideally have 100 per cent brain capacity for each task. When multitasking, our attention jumps back and forth between different activities, which further reduces the quality of the activities. This is because constantly switching between tasks is exhausting. «When we move a lamp from one side to the other, it takes energy - it's exactly the same when you switch your attention from one thing to another,» explains Jäncke.
You also have to suppress the stimuli emanating from the other task. A study by Stanford University tested multitaskers to see what they can do better than others. The result was sobering: those test subjects who consume an above-average amount of media at the same time are unfocussed and are more easily distracted.
Multitasking is a stress factor
But it's not just a drop in performance that is recognisable, multitasking also causes stress, especially in children and young people. «Under multitasking conditions, there can be an increased release of stress hormones, which has a negative impact on learning and health,» says Kerstin Konrad from the RWTH Aachen University. She specialises in the field of neuropsychology in children and adolescents. The scientist has observed that children and adolescents have fewer real social interactions than previous generations and instead spend more time isolated in front of the television, games console or computer. However, «normal» social activities and exercise in the fresh air would contribute much more to the development of children and young people than multimedia multitasking.
Children are taught by their parents to multitask without a break. Many of them check their emails on their smartphones at breakfast because they feel they always have to be available and informed. WhatsApp messages and text messages are sent while watching TV. And school performances are no longer enjoyed with pride, but captured on film for eternity. If parents want to teach their children to concentrate on one thing, they have to set an example. And introduce them to an age-appropriate rhythm between completing tasks and taking breaks with and without media.
The multitasking test
You can test how badly multitasking works on your own or with your children. Write the sentence «Multitasking is a lie» by hand on a piece of paper and number the letters underneath. Sounds simple? But we do it in multitasking: youalways write the letter first, then the number and only then the next letter. So «M», «1» underneath, «u» underneath «2» and so on. And do it as quickly as possible - it's best to time yourself.
How many mistakes did you make and how long did it take you?
Try the whole thing again without multitasking for comparison : first write out the sentence, then the numbers below it. What does your result look like now?
How long can children concentrate?
The average attention span of five to seven-year-olds is 15 minutes. Seven to ten-year-olds can concentrate for 20 minutes at a time, ten to twelve-year-olds for 20 to 25 minutes and twelve to sixteen-year-olds for 30 minutes. However, children's attention levels fluctuate and their ability to concentrate suffers during puberty.
How often should you take a break?
The brain needs breaks in which new knowledge can be transferred from short-term to long-term memory. «Low-stimulus phases are a necessary prerequisite for all learning,» says German brain researcher Gerhard Roth. At the beginning of a homework or study session, a five-minute break is sufficient. Towards the end, it can be ten minutes. Longer breaks are counterproductive because children then find it difficult to get back to the task at hand.
