Avoid Multitasking

If you do more work on your own and your time is less structured, you might be more tempted to attempt multitasking. Research shows that few people can succeed at doing multiple things at once or can switch between tasks quickly.

Some downsides to multitasking...

1. Assignments take longer. Each time you return to an assignment (from Instagram, for example) you have to get familiar with it, find your spot, remember what you were going to do next, etc.
2. You are more likely to make mistakes. Distractions and switching between tasks tire out the brain.
3. You will remember less. When your brain is divided, you are less able to commit what you are learning to long-term memory.

Try this instead...

1. Focus on one thing at a time.
2. Take breaks between tasks.
3. Consider working on a task for 25-minutes, then rewarding yourself with a 5-minute break. Research suggests this pattern helps achieve better concentration and alleviates “cognitive boredom” in most people.

This resource is adapted from“Adjusting Your Study Habits During COVID-19.” Adjusting Your Study Habits During COVID-19, University of Michigan Academic Innovation, 2020, ai.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/student-disruption.pdf in accord with CC 4.0 copyright provisions.