Why Multi-Tasking Can Be Unhealthy

Multi-tasking has become something of a heroic word in our vocabulary. But is it really an inarguable virtue? We’re not talking about chewing bubblegum and walking a straight line at the same time -- while automatic actions, or what the researchers call "highly practiced skills," can be done while thinking about other things, research shows that any key decision-making requires full attention. When we speak of multi-tasking, what we really mean is rapidly switching tasks. Yet, each time we switch, no matter how quickly, there is an associated cost: a cost that some researchers say can not only negatively affect your work quality and productivity, but can also cause stress, anxiety, focus problems and accidents. Take the recent study that found that using cell-phones while driving increases the likelihood of an accident five-fold and is actually more dangerous than drunk driving! Forbes Magazine has

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