Multitasking Spreads Fear, Sadness
The constant interruptions that come with juggling several tasks at once can cause a tense work environment, according to new research.
Investigators from the University of Houston studied the faces of people who were multitasking and found that they showed more unhappiness than people who were not working on several projects simultaneously. When other staff saw the unhappy looks on their coworkers’ faces, that sadness and tension spread, the researchers found.
The unhappy reactions seem to be caused by the constant interruptions that occur when working on multiple tasks at the same time. This in turn causes stress. When stress is combined with the heavy mental load required for multitasking, the individual can experience fear while anticipating the next interruption. That fear translates into unhappiness.
The researchers examined workers who were told to write an essay. Some were regularly interrupted to answer e-mails, while a separate group answered e-mails at the beginning of their writing session. Those who replied to the correspondence in one batch remained neutral, while those experiencing the frequent interruptions showed sadness and anger.
Work from Home Limits Innovation
Media buzz has suggested that many workers will continue to work from home even after the pandemic eases. However, a professor from Northwestern University suggests that working in the same location with co-workers is necessary for innovation. What’s more, the research indicates that only working in cities with populations over one million brings out this positive factor.
While telecommunicating may not hamper productivity, it is no friend to innovation, Prof. Hyejim Youn found. When people only connect digitally, coming up with new ideas and concepts is stymied. But when people physically interact, they benefit from brainstorming, bonding, and mentorship. That simply cannot happen when people experience “Zoom fatigue,” the research found. Humans crave social interaction, and without it, the collaboration that breeds innovation suffers.
From fastcompany.com
Want to Be Resilient?
Mental toughness—the ability to be resilient in the face of negativity—is a key marker
for success. To develop resilience, take advice from people who have developed this desirable trait.
- Never wallow in self-pity. Instead, focus on the positive.
- Stand up for yourself by not giving people power over you.
- Accept change. Change is always difficult, but avoiding it prevents growth.
- Let go of things you cannot control. Control is an anxiety response. Better to accept what you have no power over.
- Don’t try to please everyone. If you judge yourself by what others think of you, you open yourself up to manipulation.
- Take calculated risks. Sure, you can lose, but without taking well-thought out risks, you can miss opportunities.
- Don’t dwell. The past is over and focusing on it can only drag you down.
- Fix what’s wrong. Mentally tough people don’t continue to make the same mistakes. They reflect on what they did wrong and don’t do it again.
- Celebrate others’ success. Feeling resentment means you’re focusing on someone else rather than your own path to success.
- Bounce back. Failure is unavoidable, but giving up is People succeed when they bounce back after a setback.
From Business Insider
