Feeling stressed out these days? Relax. It’s not just your imagination.
According to the Pew Research Center, driving to work is becoming more and more unpleasant. Traffic delays are 300% longer than they were twenty years ago. The average urban commuter wastes 47 hours of her life per year sitting in rush hour traffic. That number jumps to 100 hours if you live in Los Angeles. Factor in rude drivers, dropped cell phone calls, and swimming pool potholes, and those 47 hours start to feel like 147 hours.
But wait. There’s more. When you finally get to work, things aren’t much better.
Distractions like email, phone calls, and unscheduled office visitors cost you an average of 2.1 lost hours a day (Basex). That adds up to about 65 lost workdays a year per person or 13 work weeks a year. Raise your hand if you would like to trade in those lost workdays for 3 months of additional vacation time. Can you say white sand beaches and tropical cocktails?
What were we talking about? Sorry, I got distracted. That’s right! Distractions.
With all of these distractions eating up our time, it is no wonder multi-tasking has become the Badge of Honor for workplace warriors. It’s gotten ridiculous. Not too long ago I found myself in the ladies’ restroom at the Denver airport. In the stall next to me, a woman was conducting a business meeting on her cell phone while she heeded the call of Mother Nature. I was appalled, disgusted, and flabbergasted.
What is happening to us? Have we lost our multi-tasking minds? Unfortunately, it appears we may be headed in that direction.
Research studies show multi-tasking actually decreases your productivity. Scientists are saying multi-tasking increases mistakes, forgetfulness, depression and stress. According to Dr. Jordan Grafman, a neuropsychologist and Chief of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health, multi-tasking creates prolonged stress that can kill your brain cells responsible for forming new memories and learning and retaining new facts and skills. (1) In fact, prolonged stress can shrink your brain! As your stress increases, imagine your brain slowly deflating like a leaky beach ball. Now that is something to get stressed out about!
Stop the Stress. Save Your Brain.
When was the last time you had a stress-free play day?
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(1) We’re all multi-tasking, but what’s the cost? M. Healy, Los Angeles Times. July 19, 2004