Khal Weir

Humans are unable to effectively multitask, yet we are constantly attempting to. At work, while walking and driving, at leisure and at home. Although it may feel like we are, when we multitask we aren’t being more productive, we are actually just doing multiple things a fraction as well. With today’s culture, technology and lifestyles its hard not to; with smartphones, competitive workplaces and social networks the desire to stay connected is stronger than ever. I’ve found myself putting off watching subtitled films, because I’d be unable to catch up on Facebook, twitter, RSS or Instapaper and follow the narrative at the same time. More and more of us are interacting with a second screen while watching TV (see LukeW.com for figures). This might be fine for certain content, something as vapid as Made in Chelsea or rewatching Firefly for the tenth time, but can really hamper your enjoyment of new or interesting content. Yet, some see this as the future of TV and are exploring ways to capitalise on our use of these devices and social interactions.

ABC’s social TV iPad app

As a music fan, I’ll nearly always have headphones on at work. I find blocking out background noise helps me to focus, but I’m conscious that my choice of music can affect my work. I try to stick with really familiar albums or playlists of ambient instrumental tracks that are less distracting. A side effect of this however, is that I rarely just listen to music anymore. I lament that music is becoming something in the background while I do two or three other things and intend to remedy this by buying a turntable and building up a record collection. I feel that the manual process of playing vinyl and the fact that I’ve tracked down a favourite album on this antique format will encourage me to spend more time actively listening and increase my enjoyment of the music. I really enjoy seeing films at the cinema, largely because I’m forced to singletask. I’m there to watch a film, my phone stays in my pocket and unless the film is poor I’m focused on watching. This experience is especially good at the IMAX, as the screen fills your vision and people exit via the rear so there are no distractions. Mountain biking, rock climbing and cooking enforce the singletask mindset too; if you let your mind wander you can screw up but even if you manage not to fall or burn your dinner you’ve lessened your enjoyment of the activity. I love the concept of apps like IA Writer, stripped to the bear essentials, it’s minimal and task oriented interface encourage focus and care; more software should be like this. Singletasking enables us to get work done faster and better, relax more effectively and enjoy our leisure time - those kittens will still be on YouTube later.