Is Multitasking Destroying Your Productivity?

How many windows you opened on your computer screen at the moment? Is your mobile phone nearby? Are you listening to music as well? And hearing the "ding" sound of an arriving e-mail or messenger?

According to a new Stanford study, people who try to manage several media tools at once (mobile phone, Web surfing, music, e-mail, messenger, etc) would have a tough time trying to filter out irrelevant information, making them worse at focusing, organizing information, and even switching between tasks.



So the more you do, yet accomplish less! The only consolation is that those heavy media multitaskers who are able to react quicker and respond to needs, can be a valuable trait.

No more emails, please

A survey by computer giant IBM has found that large quantity of emails received at work stations are a main contributor to workplace stress.

Of 629 managers has found that 45 per cent said that too many "not related" emails in their inbox creates a stressful workplace.

7 per cent find it very stressful, and half of respondents say that unanswered emails are also contributing to workplace stress.

The stress of constantly responding to emails affects 48 per cent of workers, rising to 54 per cent in organisations with more than 500 employees.



Nearly three-quarters of workers say they have sent an email to the wrong person by mistake, and nearly half at some time have hit Reply to All instead of Reply.

As many as 59 per cent of managers have tried to recall an email but it was too late, and 49 per cent have said something in an email which they have regretted.