Multitasking: Hidden Benefits
New studies which look at the long term effects of multitasking have shown that it enables creativity by tying together diverse actions, thoughts and ideas when the mind is free from rigid focus or diffused.
Juggling several thoughts at once can be confusing but can also increase the flexibility, originality and innovativeness of the thinking.
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
- The ideal state of work is the ‘flow’ state, where we have a clear, long period of focussed work without any distraction.
- Busy periods of multitasking are generally seen as something that hinders our performance and increases stress, with visible cognitive strain and no upside.
- The brain struggles to do multiple tasks at the same time, as evident by the fact that when we are trying to type a sentence or talk over the phone, we don’t process any conversation that is coming from outside, becoming a little deaf for a few moments.
Multitasking increases our heart rate as we act and engage in multiple tasks in creative ways, leading to more energy and alertness.
Several studies on participants doing multiple activities at the same time report increased energy and cognitive flexibility, leading to more creative output.
RELATED IDEAS
Many of us think that our creativity comes from our first ideas. We assume that finding creative solutions slow down over time.
This assumption is wrong, research suggests. The best ideas come to those who wait. Patience and perseverance will lead to more innovative solutions.
The standard advice provided by a lot of people is to "meditate" when experiencing intense feelings such as rage or sadness. It does work, however, a study suggests that too much meditation can do more harm than good, such as:
- Numbness in emotions;
- Fully induced panic attacks;
- Feelings of dissociation; and even
- Insomnia
There is a threshold when it comes to meditating and we should not cross the boundary to avoid further injuries to ourselves.
Research suggests placing self-imposed limitations can boost creativity.
It forces your brain to come up with creative solutions to finish a project around the parameters you’ve set.
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