Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Are you a multi-tasker?

Thanks to Ms. Aucoin for finding us this great article. She suggested it because it highlights the question of opportunity cost but I think it will also be a great cultural exchange because I'm guess (we'll see if I'm wrong) that Martinicans are less likely to multi-task than the constantly on the go New Yorkers. Please read this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/technology/17distracted.html?emc=eta1
and consider these questions:
1. Do you multitask? If so, how?


2. According to the article, what are the potential side effects of multitasking?

3. Are the risks worth it?

4. Should society encourage -- or discourage -- multitasking?

36 comments:

  1. 1. I do multitask. Everyday on my way to the bus stop, while I’m walking and crossing busy streets, I always listen to my ipod. But I’ve become so use to this, that I can manage tuning into my music and tuning out at specific moments- like when I’m about to cross the street.
    2. A number of incidents can result from multitasking. For instance, you can accidentally walk into a parked car while you’re on your phone. Or stumble into a light pole, trip over a homeless person, or do something else that may cause later embarrassment. More importantly, when you multitask you lose focus on what’s really important because your concentration is now shared between two or more things.
    3. I don’t think it’s worth the risk. Let’s say you’re doing your homework, watching t.v. and im-ing your friends. Because you’re not concentrating on what’s important (homework), you may end up doing a half ass job and getting a poor grade. You might even have to do it again…thereby wasting more time. Or say you’re walking in the city and listening to your mp3 while texting a friend. Because you’re so focused on the tasks in front of you, you might forget to look up before you cross the street, or you might mistake a passing car for something else and walk into it…and DIE. I guess it comes down to prioritizing…but for me it’s not worth the risk.
    4. In fast-paced cities like New York, multitasking is the norm. The reasoning being; more things can be accomplished faster, if you do them all at the same time. But is it done properly?
    I can’t say whether to encourage or discourage it. It really comes down to the type of people the society is composed of. Multitasking could be a great thing for those who are always busy and want to finish things in a hurry so they can relax a little (But remember haste makes waste). It could be a bad thing for those who like to do things right the first time without having to do it over, those who are patient, and those who like to live in the moment. But the way I see it, as technology keeps advancing and people keep adapting to it, multitasking is going to be second-nature.

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  2. Saying I don't multitask would be like saying I don't eat. It's actually an abstruse concept to not multitask when doing a common task. For example, I look at the news, weather, and talk to friends at the same time. Doing any one of these tasks is essentially boring if not coupled with something else. However, there is a difference between multitasking and being distracted all the time. When I am intellectually engaged- say reading Dickens or trying to get a paper done- I can focus on the single task. If I'm doing a really difficult physics problem, I will naturally become oblivious to my surrounding. The important thing is that in these situations, I can't multitask without my work deteriorating, and I'm not afraid to admit that. But when checking e-mail or skimming a news article, sure I can IM and watch some videos while I'm at it. I might not respond to a friend for a while and he might not respond either, but what's important is that it doesn't really matter if I put effort into an IM or not.

    I actually find this article quite humorous. As we learned from a study in government today, the people who think they're "good" at multitasking are actually the worst at it. If you can get so absorbed into a conversation as to not look directly in front of you, you shouldn't be on the phone. It's as simple as that. Does that mean you can't multitask? No. It just means you shouldn't do it while walking because you are clearly incapable. Going on to decide whether it's worth it- I think everyone has their own balance. One should multitask to the point that one can while all necessary tasks are completed satisfactorily. After that, one must limit himself.

    I don't think society has a choice at this point. With people doing more and more mundane tasks and implementing technology in their lives, it would be a shame not to multitask. Spending two minutes waiting for a video to load when you could be doing something else that's meaningless (but entertaining) in the meantime is a waste. My take is that people are no longer intellectually stimulated enough. If Paleolithic Man required an entire day's worth of concentration to kill a beast, he would not be 'tweeting' even if he had the technology. But when we watch a video or IM our mind naturally does not feel satisfied. The real question is- will the combination of all these seemingly mundane tasks amount to a productive society as would be the case if people focused on everything they did?

    --Manjinder

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  3. Of course I multitask, but as mentioned in class it has to do more with interaction between technology, which is an effortless task, and something that would take most of my attention such as drawing something, which should also be almost second nature for me. But the problem with multi-tasking is the incapability of focusing on one thing at a time. According to the article there is an “inattention blindness,” where you can see something but not acknowledge its presence. By multitasking you are submitting yourself into a state in which you do many things but are incapable of doing them completely or right.
    Are the risks worth it? At times, the risks are frivolous, like the example I gave before of when I multitask because some things add to the muse of a state of relaxation. But at other times, such as texting while crossing the street, or reading a book while walking down the stairs (as I’ve done) aren’t always smart choices because you can and do physically get hurt because your attention is channeling into the wrong task. New York should encourage multi-tasking simply because it is the Big Apple and it’s the city that never sleeps: here work never stops and the more you do the better. But in general, and awareness to the dangers that multitasking has, physically, and the understanding that the amount of things that can be done simultaneously differs between people: some people are better at it and those who aren’t should know that they’re work quality suffers if they try to do too much at a time.

    sayra prd 1

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  4. 1) I'm a multitasker just like everyone else I know. I'm doing it right now as I post this. I find it quite hard to not multitask as so much is going on around me and I want to keep up with it all. You'll often see me watching something on my computer, doing homework, checking for updates on site I frequently visit, and talking to a friend all at the same time. The only time where I can focus on one specific task is if its something challenging like solving a difficult puzzle or trying to write an analysis on anything. If its nothing I find challenging, I often do several things at once to keep up with everything I want to do or check out.
    2/3) According to the article, some side effects or risks of multitasking are not being able to focus on a task or getting too distracted to pay attention to your surroundings. I personally think the risks are worth it if you can pull if off. If you can do several things at once and complete them correctly, the risks are definitely worth it. If you have a hard time with it, try it out for a while and if you're able to get used to it after that, then its worth the risk. Otherwise, I would say just don't bother.
    4) At the rate society is going at currently, we'll have to encourage it if we expect everyone to keep with everything going on around them. Technology is allowing things to get done faster then ever, and as such, people expect things to get done faster. One must multitask if one expects to complete everything in time people expect them to. Technology is allowing us to more easily multitask and with how quickly it allows us to do everything, it sets our expectations to a point where we must do it.

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  5. 1. Multitasking has become almost second nature for me at this point. For instance, right now i am typing up this my thoughts on multitasking, watching a t.v. show on my computer, eating a burger, and conversing with my brother.

    2. My particular risks now are mistyping something in this blog post, having ketchup drip onto my shirt, and missing something important in the show. In general the risks include taking longer to complete all the tasks, the quality the works produced goes down, and walking into something and hurting myself.

    3. The risks are definitely worth it. For me right now i could have sat down for 10 minutes and finished this blog, but the fact of the matter is i wouldnt be writing this right now if i wasnt doing something interesting while typing this blog post. The same goes for other times I multitask, it combines something we have to do with something that keeps us interested.

    4. I would encourage multitasking, because chances are without it i just wouldnt get stuff done. As for society it doesnt matter if they encourage it or discourage it, because people are going to do it regardless as we are moving toward a time where we feel there arent enough hours in a day.

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  6. christine y
    pd8

    1) i multitask big time. i want to say that i multitask well because i organize my time productively most of the time. since i have so many things to fufill, doing a multiple of things at once is a necessity for me. for example, right now as i'm writing out my blog response for this, i am also listening to music and aiming my friends. sometimes, im eating, blogging on my personal site, aiming friends, and replying back emails. i have a lot of things on my agenda everyday but, i am often distracted by things like t.v or a phonecall.

    2)according to the article, one major side effect is obviously the dangerous accidents that can occur. textiung while driving causes more than enough deaths. although it is not worse, texting while walking also results in accidents. Pedestrians are so focused on texting the person back that sometimes they completely eliminate all the background noise and everything that is happening. what ends up happening is that they break some bones or get a second chance. i find it ridiculous that people get so absorbed in their phones and texting that they are oblivious to the things around them.

    i was in union square the other day and there was a guy make sand designs on the floor. there was a woman talking on her phone walking toawrds the art work and the man told her not to step on it.. you know what she does? she goes and steps on it. she only realized what she had done when she takes the phone away from her face and sees the man;s facial expression...

    people are oblivious.

    3)no the risks aren't worht it. we could do without phones constantly by our sides. they're just an easier way to communicate with others. before phones were invented, people got along just fine. there were less deaths and accidents. but i doubt anyone would want a " phone" ban.

    4)i hate it when people text and become oblivious to everything around them. however, i am ambivalent about the whole multitasking thing. i only approive of it when the person multitasking is actually good at it. it should only be allowed if the person knows how to handle multiple tasks at once. for our generation, multitasking is a skill acquired not inane. so yes i encourage multitasking only for those that know how to manage their time well. without a doubt though, owe will need to acquire this set of skills because of our ever-increasing technologizing society .

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  7. 1. Everyday I multitask, such as watching Jeopardy, news, or occasionally movies, while eating dinner. This is a very common task, that’s easy to do.
    2. Consequences of multitasking from this incident can be accidentally choking on food, loss of enjoyment for the food’s taste, or something else that can ruin one’s appetite.
    3. It’s not worth the risk, if the results of multitasking are negative. Such as poor quality homework’s, or health jeopardized by choking on food. Best thing to do is to have good time management and focus on one thing at a time.
    4. It depends on the nature of the people in the society. In New York, multitasking is part of everyday life, since people who live here are usually very busy, and since there’s only a limited time in a day, people want to get things done fast.

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  8. I do multitask. Multitasking is something that I can't avoid. For example, I usually listen to music when I'm doing homework or studying. I also like to instant message my friends when I'm doing an assignment that is easy and doesn't require every ounce of my attention

    The article cites roadside mishaps as potential side effects of multitasking. Many of these mishaps, such as walking into a window, a door, or even a parked car don't always cause injuries that require medical attention. However, the multitasking cases that require medical attention are on the rise.

    I have never had a problem with multitasking that was potentially fatal. The extent of my mishaps go to texting a message to the wrong person. So, for someone like me, the risks are worth it. Multitasking is essential because there aren't enough hours in the day to allocate time to focus on things, one task at a time. I often listen to songs that I have to learn for an audition or a performance while I'm doing homework or talking to a friend. Multitasking is an indelible part of life. It's time to just accept it.

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  9. I am a proud multitasker. In fact, I’m probably multitasking while I’m asleep. Usually, I’m doing my homework, I’m browsing the internet, I’m shopping online, I’m texting, the television is on, and I’m on Facebook. Part of the reason why I multitask so much is because my cell phone is equipped with the internet so I’m doing at least three things at once on one piece of technology. Multitasking is everywhere and even though people of older generation say that they are not part of the multitaskers, they actually are. My mom, for example, is on the phone while she’s watching television and even though she’s not doing five or six things at once, she’s still doing more than one thing which in fact does qualify as multitasking.

    According to the article, the potential side effects of multitasking are roadside mishaps such as walking into parked cars or cars in motion, stumbling and tripping on sidewalks, walking into poles and parking meters, among many others. Although many of these injuries are minor like a busted lip or a bruise, the injuries are becoming more and more prevalent as multitasking rises.

    In my opinion, the risks are definitely worth it. Sometimes, doing one thing can cause you to become bored. As for me, I get bored very easily so I need to constantly entertain myself. I completely agree with Samyuktha when she says that there’s not enough time in the day to do everything we want to do without multitasking. In QHSS, we are bombarded with so much homework assignments and exams that it’s hard to watch our favorite shows, talk on the phone, text, etc without multitasking. I am the school president and for me, with all of the student government related activities and events, homework, exams, social time, and personal time, I would probably need a thirty-four hour day instead.

    I think that society should encourage multitasking because no matter how many “side effects” there may be, the younger generations will never stop multitasking. There is also a very big difference between multitasking and procrastinating so it’s not like everyone who multitasks is losing out. There are some people who can actually handle multitasking and completing school or work assignments and people who can handle walking and texting or being on the phone. Multitasking is definitely not as bad as everyone’s making it out to seem. It’s helpful to us…not hurting us.

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  10. I usually multitask when I am using the computer, other than homework, and, especially, when I cook a few dishes of food or bake.

    There are potential risks to multitasking such as walking into poles, signs, people, and vehicles, and tripping - basically, getting injured physically and mentally.

    Are the risks worth it? For me, no unless it has to do with cooking. I don't walk and talk on the phone often and I, especially, do not text while walking. I have to pay attention to my surroundings and I like that. There's always something interesting going on that I feel that I don't need to have so much media. Even if I have headphones I don't put the volume up too high. I used to put the volume up high but then I realized that I lose my concentration to my surroundings. I also can't concentrate when I read or write when I multitask because I'll get distracted and my mind already wanders when I'm doing homework.I'll be focused on a thought but when I look at it differently I'll see it relates to something else and then it goes on. Just take the R-strategy where organisms give birth to many young but then the progeny die off. My thoughts are like that. Although I think the risks for multitasking is high for me it may differ in other people Oh! except for cooking, because I usually have my mis en place so I don't need to run around the kitchen looking for everything, unless I forget something. But I still make mistakes in cooking if I multitask too much, such as pouring in to much salt, white wine, rice vinegar or any other ingredient, but it's not hard to recover from those small mistakes unlike getting injured by a moving vehicle.

    It seems that the majority of society is pro-multitasking, but it depends on each person. Each person multitasks differently, to each his own.

    Janine

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  11. DEREK YAM

    1. Yes I do multitask. I listen to music while traveling everyday. I usually eat dinner while watching TV or talking to somebody. And I usually do my homework while chatting.
    2. According to the article, multitasking can distract a person and cause him or her to do each of the tasks less effectively. For example, if multitasking while doing homework, the quality of the homework may be much poorer.
    3. In my opinion, sometimes the risks are worth it but other times they are not. It depends on the importance of what you’re doing. For example, eating and watching TV is no big deal at all… But doing something that can be potentially dangerous like cooking with the stove on, and exercising would not be a good idea.
    4. I do not discourage or encourage multitasking. I think we should find a healthy medium. In reality, if we do not multitask, we will accomplish much less than we usually do. However, we should not multitask to the point where nothing can be done effectively.

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  12. 1. Yes, I multitask. My multitasking usually takes place on the computer, where i can do various assignments, browse websites, and talk to people at once.
    2. According to the article, the potential side effects of multitasking include accident resulting in serious injury, and a tendency to block out parts of parts of one or more of the tasks, such as watching where you're walking.
    3. If you cannot abstain from walking into stationary objects while utilizing your phone, then no, the risk is not worth it, because you cannot prioritize tasks. If you can acknowledge which tasks is more important, and act accordingly while performing multiple tasks, then i see no reason why you shouldn't.
    4. This is irrelevant, but like the article's walking and chewing example, music is passive, and does not require active focus. I don't think having music on while partaking in another activity counts as multitasking. Society should only discourage multitasking for those incompetent enough to walk into stationary objects when provided with optional activities to do with walking. For everyone else, it's a viable option for completing tasks in a faster or more comfortable manner.

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  13. 1. Do you multitask? If so, how?
    I am a big time multi-tasker. In fact, I am multitasking as I am writing this blog. It is impossible not to multitask during the course of a day. There are too many distractions in the world. Additionally, multitasking is so prevalent in my life because trying to focus on one thing is too tedious. As I write this entry, I am constantly flipping between Facebook, Youtube, and video games. I think the reason for my constant multitasking is the virtually limitless amount of activities that my computer offers me
    2. According to the article, what are the potential side effects of multitasking?
    My interpretation of this article is as follows: when multitasking, a person becomes handicapped. Whether the sense is sight or hearing, senses are lost when a person multitasks. In other words, a person who multitasks is not that different from a person who is blind or deaf. Here is why. When a person is walking down a street and looking at his phone, he cannot see what is in front of him. Because he does not see what is in front of him, that person is essentially a blind person.
    The risks of multitasking are evident. The ability of people to do things is greatly crippled by multitask. Examples of this include walking into poles, crashing into cars, and tripping over something. All of these accidents can be avoid it.
    3. Are the risks worth it?
    In my opinion, the multitasking is not the risks that can occur. First, multitasking takes away from efficiency. For example, when I am making lunch, say grilling a piece of meat, I need to focus on cooking that meat. If I were to let something divert my attention, my meat would be burnt, and my lunch would be ruined. Second, multitasking is dangerous. Examples of the danger of multitasking in the article include concussions, car crashes, and embarrassments.
    4. Should society encourage -- or discourage -- multitasking?
    Society should definitely discourage multitasking. Multitasking is the equivalent of putting your hands over your eyes while driving. Multitasking can hurt both the multitasker and the people around the multitasker. Overall, multitasking is not a good idea.

    Rich. C. C.
    Period 2

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  14. Yes, I do multitask. In fact, I think everyone multitasks whether they realize it or not. For example, right now I'm blogging, talking to people, and listening to music all at the same time. I don't think multitasking is such a big deal as everyone is making it because it's just the way we are. Furthermore living in a fast paced environment, meaning New York City, just shapes us more into a multitasker.
    The only downside of multitasking is that a person is distracted or the quality of one's work isn't as great.
    I don't think "risks" is the word because no matter what we choose to do, there is always a chance that something could happen. For example, by crossing the street, one is risking getting hit by a car. Does that mean we shouldn't cross any streets? It doesn't sound very logical. Multitasking is just something we all do. For example, there's nothing wrong with listening to music while doing work if it helps you.
    Everyone is different. Not everyone can multitask. Thus, I don't think society should have a say on this matter. Who's to say you can't listen to music and text people at the same time or watch TV while doing HW? It's all about personal choices and one's ability.

    -Cindy Pd 1

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  16. Absolutely, I think at this point it is almost impossible for me not to multitask. I am usually listening to music while walking to school, especially in the morning because I don’t feel like talking to anyone. Usually when I am on the computer, I am not doing just one thing. I am chatting with friends, texting,talking on the phone and doing homework at the same time. If I don’t do more than one thing, I feel as if I am wasting time or going at a very slow pace.
    Although I multitask all the time, I think it has lots of negative side effects. It is turning us more and more into machines. We don’t think as much, we just want to be doing things. It feels as if we are always in a rush, and everything has to get done quickly. Also, it prevents us from being fully focused on one thing. Multitasking can be dangerous at times, for example, texting while driving. I would personally never do this kind of multi task but I know of many people who do and they get into almost accidents if not accidents. Many people walk slower while texting or talking on the cell phone and they don’t ecen realize it and this makes other people frustrated. However, certain types of multitask can be beneficial, as for some people they perform better while multitasking. Sometimes you get used to the distractions and it’s hard to do things without multi tasking. I think listening to music while walking allows me to walk faster than my normal pace.
    As I have said before sometimes multitasking is beneficial but for those that are dangerous to you, the risk is not worth it. If talking on the cell phone can cause you to get hit by a car, or walk into a pole, its better not to do. It’s really not worth it.
    At this point I don’t think discouraging multitask will stop people from multitasking because those who do it are used to it, and they seem to find it very beneficial. But society should try to discourage certain multitasks especially those that effect other people around. I don’t think the overall result of multitasking is very pleasing. It engages people in so many things that nothing is done at its best. It prevents people from being attentive in their surrounding whether it is the middle of traffic or sitting in a living room. You are unable to respond to someone’s’ question with much thoughts. You are like a machine just getting things done and not caring about the quality.

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  17. AJ pd 2

    1. I multitask all the time. Like when I was reading this article for example. I read half then checked the scores for the games and then I went back to reading, and before i finished, I managed to answer a few IMs.
    2. By multi tasking, you could injure yourself, someone else or just get embarrassed. The good thing is that you get more things done in less time.
    3. It depends on the situation. If its something like texting and walking on the street, it might not be a good idea. If its doing homework its probably not a good idea because nothing sticks in your head. If you're surfing the web then yeah its good to multitask because that stuff is not important. People just need to prioritize.
    4. Multitasking should be encouraged. But prioritizing should also be encouraged. Things that require concentration should not be done while doing something else.

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  19. 1. I think people subconsciously multi-task now. They don't even realize that they are doing it sometimes because it is so common in our society and has become a part of our daily lives. I also multi task all the time like when I talk to my mom while cooking or listen to music when I am doing my homework.

    2. One risk to multi-tasking is losing focus on the task that are being done together. This reduces the quality of both tasks. Also, "inattention blindness" was mentioned in the article to describe that when people are so preoccupied with something they don't notice what is around them. People start to lose the sense of importance in single tasks.

    3. Since I live in New York City which is very fast paced I think multi-tasking is worth the risks. Sometimes we have too many things we have to do or want to do and we can't finish everything in one day if we work on it one at a time. In this situation people would multi-task to complete their work.

    4. I don't thing multi-tasking should be encouraged because it lowers the quality of tasks and it people's lives unnecessarily hectic. People start to miss out in life.

    -Nushra paracha pd 2

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  20. At this second, I am IMing on GTalk, listening to "The Bird and the Worm" by Owl City, transferring music to my MP3 player, and writing this comment. If this is not multitasking, I don't know what is.
    Multitasking always makes me feel rushed. Perhaps it's the other way around (feeling rushed makes me want to multitask more), but when I multitask, I always want to finish things as quickly as I can, which can lead to poorer quality work.

    Many students don't have a choice. Some of us are piled with so much work that we have to multitask to finish all of it and get a few hours of sleep.

    This leads to distractions. And short attention spans. Which, in the case of the article, can be dangerous.
    I admit, I have texted while crossing a major street before and have almost gotten into accidents, but I still do it because of the convenience. I also tend to be fairly aware of my surroundings, so it's not much of a problem.
    However, as for multitasking with homework, it gets a bit confusing. If sleepy enough, I'll start writing about what I'm saying in IMs. Though, when I multitask, I feel as if my time is spent more wisely, so I think it's worth it.

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  21. -I don't think anybody can actually say that they don't multitask. Everyone does it, they might not do it well but they still do it. I multitask everyday. In fact, I'm multitasking while I'm doing this blogging assignment. I watching television, talking on Aim browsing Facebook, and completing this assignment. Usually I multitask by listening to music, while talking on the phone, while talking to more people on aim, while talking to even more people on facebook, while doing my homework or something else.
    -The article says that the potential side effects of multitasking is distraction which leads to people having more incidents such as running into poles, parked cars, breaking a nail, or just not seeing the clown that's on the street.
    -The risks of multitasking to me are not risks if you are a smart multitasker. If your going to multitask then you have to prioritize the things that you are doing. It also depends on how well you multitask. If you know that you can't walk in a straight line without getting hit or hurting yourself while your on the phone and listening to music, THEN DON'T DO IT! It's that simple.
    -I don't think society should encourage or discourage multitasking, but society should recognize that multitasking is becoming a big part of how we operate. I guess instead of talking about the risks and how multitasking changes everything, they should offer multitasking crash courses of something so people could learn how to efficiently multitask because it is possible if you practice and know what your doing.

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  22. 1. Yes, I do multitask, but they're usually on things that don't take up much energy. For example, I normally listen to music while walking or doing the dishes, but I can't listen to music and do my homework at the same time. I have to be totally focused in order to do something, that for me, takes up energy. It's pretty weird for me, like I can't watch television and eat at the same time, it's too distracting. I mean eating is too distraction because I'm trying to chew the food, so I can't really listen to what's on TV.
    2. According to the article, it can be pretty dangerous to multitask. The article is hinting that our brains can't completely focus on doing more than one thing at a time; so when we are doing more than one thing, we lose focus or attention, which can lead to accidents.
    3. No, the risks are not worth it.
    4. It really depends on what are the tasks that the person would be doing. I don't think that people should multitask on important things such as homework or crossing the street. But if the task isn't that important like listening to music, then it wouldn't much of an issue.

    ~Alina Z(period 8)

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  23. Ms. Aucoin Pd.1 (Esther. S) 02/1


    1. I do multitask. Even as I'm doing Ms. Aucoin's homework, which is posting this blog, I am talking to six of my friends from aim, reading the article, eating snacks, and listening to music. I think multitasking is a common thing many people do.


    2. Potential side effects of multitasking, according to the article are loss of awareness of surroundings. The article discuss something interesting called "inattention blindness." This, which is proven by the experiment, means even when a person can be looking at an object, it fails to process what it is in the brain. Because of this "inattention blindness," when a person walks talking on a cell phone, or doing something, while walking, the concentration is lost and makes one vulnerable to get into an accident or get hurt. However, some of the multitasking is not as dangerous as any other multitasking. Repetitive tasks such as walking and chewing gum, when well practiced, would not let loose of concentration. However, people should be careful on the road and try not to multitask.


    3. Risk of multitasking on the road and outside does not worth risking because it is risking one's life.There is a reason why talking on the phone while driving is illegal in NYC. It may help one to accomplish something faster and communicate faster with other people, but an accident doesn't come with a knock on the door. It is too dangerous.

    4. Society should not encourage multitasking. Now days, the technology is well developed. Everything is quickly processed and quickly done. In another word, most things are hastily done. So, the quality of work is lower and sometime, because many people do many things at the same time, the work that should be done is not done. So instead of encouraging multitasking, society should encourage everyone to learn concentration.

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  24. 1. Do you multitask? If so, how?
    I multitask everyday. As I walk to school I listen to my mp3 player and while I do my homework I watch television or listen to music. On the computer I go on multiple sites, some for homework and some for fun.

    2. According to the article, what are the potential side effects of multitasking?
    The potential side effects are intentional blindness from the things in your surrounding. For example in the article half of the multitasking people didn’t notice the clown going past them.

    3. Are the risks worth it?
    The risks are getting hurt from bumping into things which isn’t worth it because it’s your fault for being careless.

    4. Should society encourage -- or discourage -- multitasking?
    We should discourage multitasking in certain situations were there are potential ways to get hurt.

    pd 8 Kazi

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  25. 1) I do multitask. I sometimes text/talk on my cellphone while I walk. I always watch T.V. while I eat, and I eat while I'm at the computer. I also listen to music while I'm on the bus...etc.
    2)According to the articel, the potential side effects of multitasking is distraction which leads to people having more incidents such as walking into poles or parked cars.
    3)The risks are not worth it especially when you are multitasking while moving. Paying attention to multiple things at once just leads you to not getting anything done, and leads you to getting hurt in some way.
    4)Neither.

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  26. 1. I multitask in some ways. I could be trying to solve a math problem while fiddling around with my rubic's cube, watching tv while eating, or playing a game while talkingwith my friends.

    2. One of the potential side effects is losing track of what's around you. This causes you to walk into things you wouldn't normally and wander away from a safe pedestrian path.

    3. Just make sure you're aware of what's around you when you're on your electronics. Do this and it could be worth it because walking and communicating can be more efficient than just walking and staring around you.

    4. Society should encourage effective multitasking. People can be trained to manage many things at once more efficiently than just doing one thing, then the productivity of those people can be increased. However, listening to music, talking on the phone, and doing homework at the same time is just being inefficient.

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  27. I am not good at multitasking, i can only read or listen to music one at a time. I do listen to music doing my pat time job because the job is very boring, i sit thee and type all day or renumbering questions, so music cheers me up when one of my favorite song comes up.

    according to the article, multitasking can lead to accidents, when a pedestrian is not careful, sometimes the accident can be small such as running into a pole o tip over a crack. but some serious accident have happen.

    i think i value life over a phone call. I find using headphones helps with talking on the phone while walking on the street.

    we encourage multitasking, thinking i will save time and get more wok done. But if we carefully looks at it, multitasking only takes our attention away and dives it up, so at the end, everything we do does not have our 100% attention and care, which can lead to mistakes, mistakes that can take double the time or effort to fix it

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  28. *Ridiculous website deleted my account for some reason and it deleted the blog I tried to post, so I'll start over.

    1. Sometimes it is natural to "multitask" other times it can very negatively affect you. Also, it all depends on what you term "multitasking". I think listening to music or chewing gum while doing an activity is about as multitasking as breathing and digesting food. I often may multitask, on the computer especially. If I do homework or study while on the computer on games or networking sites, which I nevertheless do, it very negatively affects the quality of what I am doing, so I try to avoid it. It may seem like an effecient use of time, but it never comes out that way.

    2. The article claimed that the potential side effects of multitasking may include lessened awareness, and in turn accidents. It gave examples of how some people talking on cell phones were injured as a result of the distraction, walking into poles or trucks, or just tripping. However, it also made the disctinction between multitasking that involves two attention using tasks, such as walking and talking on the cell phone, and repetetive tasks such as chewing gum while walking.

    3. Again, it depends on what the tasks are. Sometimes there is little or no risk, especially if the tasks are repetetive. Sometimes the risks too high, and potentially deadly.

    4. I do not think society should encourage multitasking, it reduces the quality of the work produced, and barely improves quantity. However, it also depends on what tasks are involved, I do not think you can put all "multitasking" into one category and label it as good or bad.

    Stan O.
    Pd 2

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  29. Imari Period 1

    1. I multitask all the time. Of course I do. . . I am apart of the multitasking generation. Actually, I'm multitasking right now. Myt grammar may be off because of this, but hey -- at least I can do two things at once. But in general I multitask every chance that I can get. I listen to my iPod on my way to school, I doodle in my notebook while I take notes, I eat and read books at the same time, I have multiple conversations with different people at once while I play videogames. Its just what I do .

    2. Acorrding to the article, the negative effects of multitasking include injuring yourself. But really I find this quite funny. Those people are just really bad at multitasking.

    3. Although multitasking is convient and time-saving, sometimes the risks are just too much. For example, whily you are driving , it is NOT the time to put on your makeup. It is NOT the time to text your best friend. NOR is it the time to eat your breakfast. Your just asking to spin off the highway and kill yourself.

    4. I think there are somecases where society should promote multitasking. In the office, it is great to be able to multitask. If you are able to answer phonecalls, check emails and file papers all at the same time, thats great! Increased productivity!

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  30. Do I multitask? Question is who doesn’t? Maybe it’s a New York thing but I feel as if I’m wasting valuable time if I am not checking my email, texting, or even listening to music while walking. While this sounds ridiculous even while I’m typing it out, it has become my reality. It is particularly common and hard to resist multitasking while on the computer. At any given time I am instant messaging, playing scrabble, not to mention my five tabs on internet explorer. At times I find myself doing it out of mere habit without even realizing I am opening up a new tab. Strange isn’t it?

    Multitasking may not always be the most effective way of getting things done. Actually truth be told it is not effective at all. Studies show that when your doing to many things at one time, all that information is not being properly processed. Essentially you are doing things half fast and will probably forget anything you just read a couple days from now. Not to mention Multitasking is DANGEROUS. Yes dangerous as in, yea sure you can walk and text, but don’t forget not to walk into that parked car.

    Nope the risks aren’t worth it at all. If everyone would just slow down a little I guarantee you would see a lot more smiling faces in the subway station.

    Crisula Prassos pd 1

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  31. I multitask all the time. Sometimes it helps me get the job done faster, and sometimes it slows me down. I think it depends on how much concentration the task requires. For example, while I do my chores, watching TV or talking to someone motivates me to keep on doing it. When I don't multitask while doing chores, I find myself leaving the task half done. Other times, like when I try to listen to music while writing and essay, I get easily distracted by the music whenever I stop to think. For me, the amount of thinking a task requires determines how successful I'll be at multitasking.

    According to the article, multitasking distracts people from their surroundings, exposing them to the dangers as walking into cars and other pedestrians. I think the concerns raised by the article are very valid.

    I remember one time last year, I got on a really crowed bus on my way to school. Since it was so crowded, I ended up standing right next to the bus driver and noticed that he was texting at the red lights. The texting obviously distracted him, and he drove unsteadily for a while. In cases like that, multitasking is very dangerous. It's not worth it to put a hundred lives at risk just to answer some texts.

    There's no way for society to effectively discourage multitasking; not only is it something humans have been doing forever, but modern technology makes it impossible to refrain from it. What we can do, however, is make the dangers and occasional ineffectiveness of multitasking more known throughout society.

    Jannat L, period 8

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  32. 1.Do you multitask? If so, how?

    Yes, I multitask all of the time, everyday, multiple times a day; in fact I am multitasking right now. In the morning while I am on the bus I listen to music as I read a book (whether assigned for school or for leisure). At school during Desktop Publishing in particular I am delegating responsibilities, emailing the publisher, answering questions from my fellow staff members, and working on a spread. At home I listen to music, talk to my friends online, search the internet for homework or recreation, and type up essays, write emails or simply update my college/scholarship spreadsheet.

    2. According to the article, what are the potential side effects of multitasking?
    According to this article one of the side effects of multitasking is physically harming yourself, because of inattentive blindness.

    3. Are the risks worth it?
    In my opinion, the actual act of listening to music or being on the phone while walking hasn’t caused me more harm than simply “zoning” out while walking a familiar path or tripping on a crack in the sidewalk because I simply didn’t see it. There for the risks are worth it. I only say this because I haven’t actually experience physical harm to the extent of the unfortunate people in this article. But honestly, music and conversation is a way to make the walk home less mundane. Now if someone was texting while driving… that’s a completely different story.

    4. Should society encourage -- or discourage -- multitasking?
    I think there isn’t a way for society to discourage multitasking. It’s a necessary part of life. It isn’t about encouraging or discouraging it’s about using your time wisely.

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  33. I multitask; however, I don't feel that I'm a good multitasker. Whenever I try to listen to music, while typing a paper, and instant messaging a friend, I find that I'm really only doing one thing. Either I'm laughing at what my friend said, or I'm singing along to the song playing. It's rare that I'll actually be working while multitasking. For me, it's only possible to multitask with things that I enjoy doing, and don't require much thought to it. I find that when I actuallyu sit down at 1 am to do my paper, I get something accomplished. When I'm focusing on my work, I'll actually put all my effort into it.

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  34. I multitask all the time. I eat while i talk, watch tv, read. I do my homework while i watch TV, go on facebook, talking on instant messengers, checking my email. It is so tempting to multitask, and not in the productive ways. I find that i am the least productive when i multitask. But when i come to think about it, i'm not really multitasking, what i'm doing is more procrastinating than multitasking. Because i'm doing all these things that are unnecessary distractions from the tasks that i'm actually supposed to be focusing on. And like the others who have left comments on this page, i feel that it is especially easy to give in to the temptation of multitasking when on the computer, because it provides access to so many interactive things, when work gets boring we just feel compelled to go on the internet and entertain ourselves. and when we do become entertained, we have completely emerged ourselves in the world that we have only meant to temporarily stay in. When we finally pull ourselves out of that zone, we look at our tasks at hand and find no more energy to concentrate.

    the article says that there are definitely negative aspects of multitasking, because it is not the most efficient way to get things done, and will sometimes waste more time than if a person did one thing at a time. From personal experience, i can definitely see how this all makes sense. Multitasking is also addicting, everyday i try to tell myself to break the habbit but everyday i fall back to the same routine. Not a good trend.


    Leah - period 8

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  35. Bonjour Madame Owens! Je regrette que je n'ai pas lu votre blog dans un long temps. Vous me manquez, mais maintenant, je vais répondre à votre questions.

    Do you multitask? If so, how?
    Non, je ne multitâches pas. Je
    peux écouter de la musique et faire mes devoirs, me c'est tout. Si je multitâches, je ne peux pas finir mes trucs, et je deviens distrait.

    2. According to the article, what are the potential side effects of multitasking?
    On peut être blessé et humilié. On peut entorse de la cheville, briser un ongle, de vertiges, et ainsi de suite.

    3. Are the risks worth it?
    Non, les risques ne sont pas valu la peine. Au péril de votre santé, la fierté et le bien-être est temps ne vaut pas l'enregistrer ou de l'argent. Comme les Américains, et les New-Yorkais en particulier, nous essayons toujours de battre l'horloge: prendre le bus à temps, a battu l'heure de pointe du matin, finir les choses à l'avance. Nous prenons jamais le temps de respirer, puis nous le payons avec notre santé et notre bonheur.

    4. Should society encourage -- or discourage -- multitasking?
    Nous devrions décourager multitâche parce qu'elle compromet la qualité et la santé.

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  36. 1) Il arrive que je combine plusieurs activités à la fois. Par exemple, parler tout en marchant, ou encore regarder la télévision tout en me coiffant. Toutefois, je ne combine jamais deux activités qui demande une attention extrême : par exemple, il ne me viendrait pas à l’idée d’envoyer un sms pendant que je traverse al rue ni même d’écouter de la musique tout simplement parce qu’au lieu d’avoir les yeux sur la route pour guetter l’automobiliste qui passe ou m’aviser d’un trou, je les aurais fixer sur mon téléphone portable, pour ce qui est du premier cas, ce qui pourrait constituer un réel danger.
    Pour ce qui est du deuxième cas, avoir les écouteurs tout en marchant peut nous empêcher d’entendre un éventuel klaxon qui nous préviendrait de l’imminence d’un véhicule de plus notre attention est détournée. D’où je pense qu’on peut combiner plusieurs activités à la fois mais pas des activités qui demandent concentration et vigilance.

    2) L’article lui aussi évoque les dangers que peuvent entraîner le fait de faire plusieurs choses à la fois : le risque d’accident parce qu’on aura pas vu un trou dans le trottoir, un panneau, un autre piéton ou encore une voiture qui arrive. Risque qui peut se transformer en accident réel et entraîner des blessures légères ou graves, des troubles tels que les vertiges.
    Le journaliste évoque le chiffre de 1000 piétons, qui par inadvertance se sont retrouvés aux urgences.

    3) Je crois qu’il vaut mieux réserver un temps pour chaque chose. Le problème est selon moi une question de patience, on veut tout faire en même temps ; certains voudraient même avoir le don d’ubiquité…
    Le mieux est selon moi est de s’arrêter pour téléphoner ou envoyer un message. Qu’est-ce que cela nous coûte ? Que sont dix minutes d’arrêt pour téléphoner ou autre face à la probabilité d’un accident ?
    Je crois qu’il vaut mieux prendre le temps de faire les choses plutôt que prendre des risques que je qualifie d’inconsidérés.

    4) Ma réponse à cette question pourra sembler paradoxale, toutefois je crois que la société encourage et « décourage » la pratique de plusieurs activités.
    La création par exemple de kit mains libres pour les piétons ou de dispositifs tels que les oreillettes ou d’autres systèmes qui font de plus en plus partie du « mobilier » des voitures et qui permettent de discuter tout en marchant ou en conduisant encourage la combinaison de plusieurs activités d’une part et d’autre part permettent de contourner les règles établies (interdiction de téléphoner en conduisant). Toutefois, la société et dans ce cas précis, plus spécifiquement les autorités, en s’appuyant sur le code de la route et en donnant des procès verbaux aux automobilistes pour non respect de celui-ci mettent d’une certaine façon un frein à la combinaison de plusieurs activités.

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