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This feels like someone discovered that multitasking doesn't really work (some studies show it causes brain damage). I've grown to hate multitasking. Do not t

by edoo 8y ago

This feels like someone discovered that multitasking doesn't really work (some studies show it causes brain damage). I've grown to hate multitasking. Do not try to design your project while building it. Do not try to understand what it is supposed to do while debugging it. Separate all things, focus on them individually. I've found without effort it is easy to find yourself working on several tasks at the same time that would each be completed much faster if focused on one at a time.

diminoten 8y ago
> multitasking doesn't really work (some studies show it causes brain damage). Haha, whaaaaat!? Would love to see some links, that's crazy!
snazz 8y ago
What you really seem to be getting at is the importance of planning—which I agree with wholeheartedly. Do your homework before trying to write a half-baked implementation and then backtracking when it doesn’t work.
copperx 8y ago
Don Knuth has the right idea; he batches all tasks. However, we don't all have the luxury of working at our own pace.
- TheTrotters 8y ago
  I believe Knuth worked at his own pace before he had the luxury to do so. That is: if you’re doing great work other things will matter much less. But it’s a gamble and Knuth’s version of “working as his own pace” probably means working harder than most people.
6nf 8y ago
> some studies show it causes brain damage What? That can't be true, are you sure?
- PinkMilkshake 8y ago
  This is what I can gather from skimming some articles in a lazy research attempt: * Almost all evidence shows multitasking is not actually possible * Some evidence shows attempting to do so anyway results in IQ reduction and loss of ability to focus * Some evidence shows this reduction lasts even after you are done * Some evidence shows this reduction is due to permanent physiological changes in the brain 'Brain damage' might be going to far.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - Pyxl101 8y ago
    I can have a conversation with someone while driving a car. Is that not multitasking? To anticipate an objection, I would agree that the competence of both tasks diminishes somewhat. However the overall competence of both is sufficient. My brain also seems capable of detecting when more attention is required, and automatically stopping the lower priority task. For example, if I had to quickly merge across many lanes on a busy freeway, then I would likely cease conversation during that maneuver. I don’t have to think too much about this consciously. The brain understands that driving is paramount and it will automatically preempt anything lower priority when more cognitive attention is required. I would be interested to know what the research says about phenomena like that. There must be research like this supporting aviation, space flight, and nautical activities. It seems easiest to multitask across different modes, e.g., I can work with my hands or drive a car while listening to an audiobook. I can have a social conversation with friends over voice chat while playing a video game. Maybe the degree to which you can multitask depends upon the type of task and to what extent your brain can perform it automatically. The rote tasks involved in driving for example require very little attention to perform safely and correctly.
    - dboreham 8y ago
      I think the idea is that the neocortex doesn't multitask. So you can talk and drive a car but not talk and learn abstract algebra.
usaphp 8y ago
Isn’t that anything we do is actually always multitasking, coding - you use your fingers to type and brain to think what to type and at the same time you are thinking about why you are typing that.
- WalterSear 8y ago
  No.
  - mandelbrotwurst 8y ago
    Why not? Parent raises a good point, how do we define a single task? If you are playing one melody with your left hand on the piano and one with your right, is that one task or two?
    - TeMPOraL 8y ago
      We don't have a definitive diagram of the mind to point to, but I feel we all really can feel what is and what isn't multitasking. Once internalized through experience, hand movements on piano (or computer) keyboard are subconscious. They don't tax your brain. Thinking about what you're playing/writing and why are you doing it is still within one "context of execution". They are closely related mental activities sharing most of the same data. Starting to simultaneously think about or engage in an unrelated, cognitively demanding activity - this is multitasking, or the so-called "context switch".
    - WalterSear 8y ago
      Because everything but the executive task flow is being handled via processes known as automaticity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaticity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaticity
- pbhjpbhj 8y ago
  I absolutely can't multitask: I can't drive properly and talk (I can do it, but my driving isn't good). I could never talk and play piano, nor even sing along as I played (I don't have opportunity to play anymore). I can however talk and type, but it's done in a way where I fill a mental register with the sentence I'm typing, switch focus whilst my hands operate on that register; then fill the register in a pause from the conversation. It's just rapid task switching for me except the typing. Probably took me a decade of touch typing to get there. I'm also I've of those people who ends up writing down the conversation if I'm handwriting and conversing. -- reflecting now when playing piano I'd try and fill a mental register with the forthcoming musical phrase whilst I switched to speaking. I think perhaps it didn't work because I struggle with rhythm and so need central focus to maintain any semblance of rhythm.
harshvladha 8y ago
All humans are different - psychologically. So, same psychological trick may not work with everyone. & sometimes, it also depends on the type of work

by edoo 8y ago

diminoten 8y ago

> multitasking doesn't really work (some studies show it causes brain damage). Haha, whaaaaat!? Would love to see some links, that's crazy!

snazz 8y ago

What you really seem to be getting at is the importance of planning—which I agree with wholeheartedly. Do your homework before trying to write a half-baked implementation and then backtracking when it doesn’t work.

copperx 8y ago

Don Knuth has the right idea; he batches all tasks. However, we don't all have the luxury of working at our own pace.

TheTrotters 8y ago
I believe Knuth worked at his own pace before he had the luxury to do so. That is: if you’re doing great work other things will matter much less. But it’s a gamble and Knuth’s version of “working as his own pace” probably means working harder than most people.

6nf 8y ago

> some studies show it causes brain damage What? That can't be true, are you sure?

PinkMilkshake 8y ago
This is what I can gather from skimming some articles in a lazy research attempt: * Almost all evidence shows multitasking is not actually possible * Some evidence shows attempting to do so anyway results in IQ reduction and loss of ability to focus * Some evidence shows this reduction lasts even after you are done * Some evidence shows this reduction is due to permanent physiological changes in the brain 'Brain damage' might be going to far.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- Pyxl101 8y ago
  I can have a conversation with someone while driving a car. Is that not multitasking? To anticipate an objection, I would agree that the competence of both tasks diminishes somewhat. However the overall competence of both is sufficient. My brain also seems capable of detecting when more attention is required, and automatically stopping the lower priority task. For example, if I had to quickly merge across many lanes on a busy freeway, then I would likely cease conversation during that maneuver. I don’t have to think too much about this consciously. The brain understands that driving is paramount and it will automatically preempt anything lower priority when more cognitive attention is required. I would be interested to know what the research says about phenomena like that. There must be research like this supporting aviation, space flight, and nautical activities. It seems easiest to multitask across different modes, e.g., I can work with my hands or drive a car while listening to an audiobook. I can have a social conversation with friends over voice chat while playing a video game. Maybe the degree to which you can multitask depends upon the type of task and to what extent your brain can perform it automatically. The rote tasks involved in driving for example require very little attention to perform safely and correctly.
  - dboreham 8y ago
    I think the idea is that the neocortex doesn't multitask. So you can talk and drive a car but not talk and learn abstract algebra.

usaphp 8y ago

Isn’t that anything we do is actually always multitasking, coding - you use your fingers to type and brain to think what to type and at the same time you are thinking about why you are typing that.

WalterSear 8y ago
No.
- mandelbrotwurst 8y ago
  Why not? Parent raises a good point, how do we define a single task? If you are playing one melody with your left hand on the piano and one with your right, is that one task or two?
  - TeMPOraL 8y ago
    We don't have a definitive diagram of the mind to point to, but I feel we all really can feel what is and what isn't multitasking. Once internalized through experience, hand movements on piano (or computer) keyboard are subconscious. They don't tax your brain. Thinking about what you're playing/writing and why are you doing it is still within one "context of execution". They are closely related mental activities sharing most of the same data. Starting to simultaneously think about or engage in an unrelated, cognitively demanding activity - this is multitasking, or the so-called "context switch".
  - WalterSear 8y ago
    Because everything but the executive task flow is being handled via processes known as automaticity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaticity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaticity
pbhjpbhj 8y ago
I absolutely can't multitask: I can't drive properly and talk (I can do it, but my driving isn't good). I could never talk and play piano, nor even sing along as I played (I don't have opportunity to play anymore). I can however talk and type, but it's done in a way where I fill a mental register with the sentence I'm typing, switch focus whilst my hands operate on that register; then fill the register in a pause from the conversation. It's just rapid task switching for me except the typing. Probably took me a decade of touch typing to get there. I'm also I've of those people who ends up writing down the conversation if I'm handwriting and conversing. -- reflecting now when playing piano I'd try and fill a mental register with the forthcoming musical phrase whilst I switched to speaking. I think perhaps it didn't work because I struggle with rhythm and so need central focus to maintain any semblance of rhythm.

harshvladha 8y ago

All humans are different - psychologically. So, same psychological trick may not work with everyone. & sometimes, it also depends on the type of work