As I work on the art of "getting stuff done" I've had an opportunity to learn a lot about multitasking.
Interesting little fact... any computer that runs on a single processor is actually incapable of truly multitasking. Joel Spolsky explains it really well here but to put it simply, when a computer has four tasks to do, it lines them up in a queue. It then works on the first task for a brief moment of time, saves the state of that task, pushes it to the end of the queue, and works on the next one. The process is repeated until all the tasks are done. This happens so quickly that you can have several applications open, giving you the illusion that they are running "at the same time." With this explanation, it make sense that if one application is unresponsive then nothing on your computer works (and we've all seen that before). The word "multi-tasking" was first used in the computing industry, before it was ever applied to human behavior.
When we multitask, our brain is literally processing multiple things at once. Humans are arguably good at this, as long as the tasks we are doing don't require much focus. Sitting on the couch, surfing the web while half-watching TV and participating in a gchat is a good example. None of these things are "mission critical" and we can easily move one item to the foreground of our thoughts and focus less on the others as the need arises. My generation does a lot of this kind of multitasking.
Humans can't multitask like computers do. Can you imagine me doing the dishes for 12 milliseconds, then mowing the lawn for 11 milliseconds, then eating lunch for 14 milliseconds, then writing a research paper for 10 milliseconds, then going back to the dishes for 7 milliseconds (continuing on and on...). It just wouldn't work, because I don't move fast enough. Even if I spent maybe 2 minutes on each task before switching, it would still be horribly inefficient because there is a cost that comes in changing what I'm doing. For every two minutes of doing the dishes, I'd have to turn off the water, dry my hands, put on my shoes, walk outside, and get the lawn mower running before I could continue with the next task. This "cost" of changing tasks is called context switching. Sometimes the cost isn't much. If you stop reading this blog post to send a text message, it only takes a second to switch from one activity to the other. But context switching always has a cost, even for computers (although this cost is usually very low).
For some tasks, context switching can be incredibly expensive. That research paper I mentioned is the perfect example. Interrupting your paper to take a phone call doesn't require moving anywhere or preparing anything but it can take a lot of time to get back into the flow of writing the paper. This is because as you write you need to remember what you have already said, what you still want to say, how the paper is flowing, if you have forgotten anything, if you are postponing specific arguments, what examples you still want to use, if you need to find more sources... and the list goes on. The more information you have to keep in short term memory, the harder it is to get back to the level of high performance.
It's really useful to know which of your tasks are "context switching expensive." For me, it's things like writing a paper, doing a long math or engineering problem, programming, or comparing several complex things (like mutual funds, for example). For tasks like these, I can be much more effective if I absolutely ensure that my environment is distraction free. I'm fine with keeping my phone on silent and disabling chat or email notifications if it means I can really get stuff done. I also don't start these tasks unless I have enough time blocked out to make some serious progress. It doesn't make sense for me to start programming some complex features for a website if it takes me 30 minutes to get up and running and I only have 40 minutes of time available. It's better to box out huge chunks of time.
The one downside to understanding context switching is that it tends to make me late for things. While I'm in the thick of debugging some code, I sometimes notice that I need to be somewhere soon. Realizing that it will take much more time to get to my current state if I stop now, I just keep on coding until I can get to a good mental stopping point. It's great if you don't want to waste time but it's never fun being late.
In short: If you consider the costs of context switching and prepare accordingly you'll be surprised how much more progress you can make on your complex tasks.
At this risk of this only being funny to a few, I decided to share it anyway. But first, let me explain.
Here at Brigham Young University, there is a culture of dating that is unparalleled by anywhere else in the world. I don't know all the reasons why it is... but it certainly is. And with everybody trying their best to impress that special someone, there are a few patterns that are easily recognizable to the observing bystander. And this is what they are:
- Every girl finds one excuse after another to cook delicious treats or meals for that boy they adore, demonstrating just how domestically fabulous they are.
- Every guy teaches himself just enough guitar to be able to play "Hey there Delilah" and watch that lovely lady just melt into a pile of swooning admiration.
It makes sense right? The most direct pathway to a man's heart is through his stomach. And nothing says, "I'm sensitive" quite like the line "Times Square can't shine as bright as you... I swear it's true." Now don't get me wrong, the song is great! And so is free food. But if you are a BYU student and you were planning on pulling one of these stunts, then just forget about it... the novelty has already worn thin.
And that is why this amazing Parody was written (appropriately to the tune of Hey there Delilah). I've seen my fair share of these but this one really nailed it. Enjoy!
Hey there Delilah
What's it like in Alpine Village?
I'm only three floors away
But girl, tonight I feel so hungry
Yes I do
J-Dawgs can't cook as good as you
I swear it's true
Hey there Delilah
Don't you worry about the peanuts
I don't have food allergies
I will eat anything you bring us
Like cherry pie,
Chocolate frosty, on the side
and also fries
Oh it's what you cook for me (x4)
What you cook for me
Hey there Delilah
I know dating can be hard
But just believe me, girl
Between your cooking skills and my guitar
We'll have it good
We'll have the dates we knew we would
Your food is good
Hey there Delilah
I might ask you out today
Since every cookie makes me think of you
How 'bout just one more plate
I'll eat it all
Even more in love with you I'd fall
I'll eat them all
Oh it's what you cook for me (x4)
The Creamery seems pretty far
But I know your roommates all have cars
Just walk there if you have no other way
Our friends would all make fun of us
and we'll just laugh along because we know
That none of them have had your cakes
Delilah I will eat for you
Through your fridge and cupboards too
My gut will never ever be the same
and you're to blame
Hey there Delilah
I am craving some Rice Crispey's
Two more years and we'll be done with school
and you'll be making cookies like you do
We'll be married because of you
I'll eat whenever I want to
Hey there Delilah here's to you
This cookie's for you
Oh it's what you cook for me (x4)
What you cook for me.
Source: Phaedrus, at the 100 hour board
This last week I received a timely reminder to be optimistic, in the form of this TED talk.
As Peter mentions in the talk, pessimism has been a part of human nature since humans walked the earth in their earliest stages. It helped them be aware of the possible dangers in their world so they could avoid them and survive.
But their gift is our curse.
We live in a different world than prehistoric man. Many of the threats our ancestors faced are no longer a concern to us. Without the threat of being eaten alive, crushed by rocks, freezing to death or starving, we have every reason to look forward to a happy, long, and fulfilling life.
From what I have seen, pessimism does nothing but retard our personal progress and negetively impact our health and relationships. Do you know that friend of yours that everybody likes? The one with like 800 friends on Facebook? Do you ever wonder why everybody likes that person? It's because they're always happy! You can choose to be that person. You're much happier when you're happier, and so is everybody around you.
It's easy to get absorbed in the little problems you face from day to day. It definately happens to me. There's always a responsibility that ends up getting neglected or a complex problem that you can't quite solve. But when I'm walking home from work I often think to myself, "you know, my life is really quite perfect. I've survived high school, gone to college, worked my butt off, hiked to the top of timp, ran a marathon, done a backflip, played a riff on an electric guitar, served as a missionary, shot my grandpa's rifle, shaved my head, gone rappelling, and lit a fire with a magnifying glass. I'm happily married, I have good friends, I'm not diseased, I still have all my limbs, and I'm true to my faith.
Life isn't bad. It's awesome. And if you don't think so, it's about time you did.