One at a Time: The Hidden Power of Singular Focus

By Gabrielle Penberthy

While studying, everyone has experienced the need to snap back others, listen to music, and browse Instagram. We laugh when we communicate with others, we groove to music, and we stay connected when we browse Instagram. We run the risk of drifting from our study goals when we engage in these activities while studying. It is all fun and games until we get a bad grade on that important test or the homework assignment that is half of the final grade. I understand how difficult it might be to resist temptation when your phone is so close. I find myself picking up my phone to put on music or snap others back. But when I do this, I find that I start singing along to the music, which diverts my attention from my studies. Why is this a task so hard to complete? Divided attention, or multitasking, is the term used to describe this. When this occurs, I typically end up with a low grade or find it difficult to respond to an important quiz question. This causes an excessive amount of worry and self-doubt.  

What is multitasking? 

In American Psychological Association’s article “Multitasking: Switching Costs” they write,

“Multitasking can take place when someone tries to perform two tasks simultaneously, switch. from one task to another, or perform two or more tasks in rapid succession” (1).  

In the world of psychology, it has not yet been proven if we can multitask. Although, most people believe we cannot multitask. When we multitask, our brains are quickly flipping between tasks. Our brains become tired from this frequent switching. It basically wears it out and reduces its efficiency. This has a special impact on our general ability to focus attention, even when we’re not multitasking (2). In short, we may do tasks more accurately and efficiently if we concentrate on one item at a time rather than multitasking. The instance of someone using their phone while walking is an excellent illustration of multitasking. It is not a good idea to make use of your phone when walking since we need to pay attention to avoid running into anyone or anything.

Why does it matter if I multitask or not? 

Furthermore, multitasking when studying has a lot of negatives. These negatives include a decreased comprehension of the knowledge being acquired, increased levels of irritation and stress, and poor recall of the stuff you have studied (3). These negatives could cause many different things such as a drop in school performance. It’s not a good idea to snap back others, listen to music, or surf Instagram when studying because our brains can’t process two things at once. Less will stick in your memory. You’re less likely to store new information in long-term memory when your brain is divided since it can’t be encoded (4). You should consider the potential results the next time you use your phone for any of these while studying. I understand that it is difficult, but when you finally get a good outcome, you’ll feel a lot better than when you snap back the person or start listening to music.  

What are some ways to help me study without multitasking?

If you could study without being tempted to check your phone, but you’re not sure how you’re going to accomplish it, wouldn’t that be incredible?  Don’t worry, I’ll show you the way! The first tip I will give is to take frequent breaks (5). Taking frequent breaks of around 15-minute intervals between a 45-minute work time will give you just the right amount of time to get recuperated. This will allow you just the right amount of time to rest that big brain of yours.

The second tip I will provide for you is to get rid of all your distractions (5). It is beneficial for you to put devices or other distractions away when you are studying. Since it’s out of sight, taking these away can help you focus better. If it’s out of sight, you’re not tempted to think about it and can focus on your studies more efficiently. With these pointers you will become a more proficient student. Your future success as a professional and as a student will both be enhanced when you engage in your academic performance. 

In conclusion 

Studying is difficult work, and to complete it effectively, we must limit our attention to it. As students we are expected to complete work that has been done to the best of our abilities. To complete our best work, we must only focus on what is at hand and not get ourselves distracted. By getting ourselves distracted we are at risk of many downfalls. We cannot ask our brains of too much as it might explode with all the information leaving ourselves stressed. By allowing ourselves to stay on track and complete our work to the best of our abilities, we can be very successful in the future.  

References

1. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Multitasking: Switching costs. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/research/multitasking 
2. Davis, E. J. (2023, January 26). Multitasking and how it affects your brain health. Lifespan. https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/multitasking-and-how-it-affects-your-brain-health 
3. Sara. (2023, July 4). Is multitasking bad for students?. Oxford Learning. https://www.oxfordlearning.com/multitasking-while-doing-homework-studying/ 
4. Avoid multitasking. UMN Online. (n.d.). https://online.umn.edu/story/avoid-multitasking#:~:text=You%20are%20more%20likely%20to,get%20encoded%20into%20your%20brain. 
5. Brubaker, A. (2023, August 15). Break the multitasking habit with these study tips-connections academy. -Connections Academy. https://www.connectionsacademy.com/support/resources/article/break-the-multitasking-habit-with-these-study-tips/