The effectiveness of multitasking

Students seem to depend on multitasking, but quality of work can suffer.

Wiktoria Blacha, Staff Writer

Multitasking has been a debatable topic. Whether students are effectively doing their homework and contributing to the quality work, distractions may take full effect when working on multiple tasks at a time.

In Hoffman Estates High School, multitasking occurs to everyone, everywhere. Many people cope with it, while others learn to focus on one thing at a time, without letting distractions take over.

“It is effective, if you wish to get it done. But, considering the quality of work, it’s not as effective as putting my full attention to it,” said Patrycia Plewa, a junior at HEHS.

Multitasking occurs to anyone in high school, as well as college. When someone is in a hurry and has a lot of work to do, finding the time to do that work leads to cramming everything last minute.

“What causes multitasking is being in a hurry or having too much work to do at once,” said to Aniela Duda, a freshman at UIC.

Cramming tasks for the last minute will not produce the best quality of work.

If anyone is trying to complete his or her homework and is listening to music, the primary goal of completing homework will not be fulfilled. Instead, homework experience will be taken away from that person because of music, as someone would be singing and humming to the song, thus not typing out the most quality of work.

“Multitasking is usually appropriate as long as you respect the environment you’re in,” said Kinga Brudz, a junior attending HEHS.

Making sure there are no distractions around is the primary goal. Being in a quiet place, turning off and putting away all electronics will be the best environment in which to surround yourself.

Doing multiple subjects at once is always stressful. “The only time you should not multitask is if you are stressed and frantically trying to do things, then you have to calm down, make a list and go through things, one by one,” said Duda.

In some cases, multitasking becomes an issue. It becomes a serious problem when people have too much work to do and aren’t able to complete the work.

“Multitasking becomes a problem when you’re trying to finish school work. It’ll affect your grades and organization in the class,” said Plewa.

Focusing on more than one or two subjects at a time is equal to placing someone in a critical state.

Tasks will be put on hold if someone is focusing on multiple topics. In order to take slight precaution, students, teachers and business professionals must set a deadline for each topic, in order to complete it.

Organization is affected, as well as planning skills. There are risks of producing less quality work, which creates a domino effect to lower scores on assignments.

Plewa concluded that multitasking can also be helpful as people are opening their minds to more topics which can act upon each other, as long as they give each other time and an open schedule.

“Multitasking is only appropriate if you use your time wisely,” she said.