Discussion: Men and Women and Multi-tasking

kfishie · April 2011

Over the past couple of days, I have had numerous discussions with men and women about multi-tasking and gender which got me to thinking.....

Are you a multi-tasker? Is your husband? Is it a female vs. male trait? If you are a multi-tasker, do you think it hurts you/your productivity or helps you?

Discuss!

2bearichards · April 2011

I am a multi-tasker, I have to be.

My husband is not and can not.

ladipale · April 2011

John is not a multi-tasker. He tries, but fails.

I try to be, but have learned that I am much more productive if I spend dedicated time on one task. I also feel less frazzled when I do it that way, so for work tasks, I really try and single-task for set periods of time.

But at home I still multi-task, cook dinner while doing laundry, washing bottles, etc, etc.

futrkingsley · April 2011

I am by nature, DH is not. I try to approach issues in a logical order and he just does not and it makes me slightly batty.

tiki_t · April 2011

I have an equation for this...

The more that one multi-tasks, the more it dilutes the ability to focus on the tasks at hand. I think that is true for both genders.

kfishie · April 2011

I am a huge multi-tasker. It part, I assume, because my life is chaotically busy and this is how I seem to be able to handle the things on my plate. It seems like I never do one thing at a time. Even when I am watching tv, I am doing something else (emails, folding laundry, on the phone, cooking, eating, etc).

DH, on the other hand, is a one task at a time guy.

Awhile ago, I was reading a book about husbands and wives and they used the following analogy about multi-tasking: Women have 10 different programs opening and running at any given time (email, word, excel, Internet browser with 5 different tabs open with different websites, etc) and are constantly switching between them. Men have one program (or hey, maybe two if you count internet and word) at a time and once done with that task, they close it and open the next program. For DH and I, this analogy pretty much fits!

LV2006 · April 2011

kfishie:

I am a huge multi-tasker. It part, I assume, because my life is chaotically busy and this is how I seem to be able to handle the things on my plate. It seems like I never do one thing at a time. Even when I am watching tv, I am doing something else (emails, folding laundry, on the phone, cooking, eating, etc).

DH, on the other hand, is a one task at a time guy.

This is us exactly.

melgrady · April 2011

I think that women are much better multi-taskers than men. I am pretty good at multi-tasking except in the past few weeks when pregnancy brain has had a hold on me. DH can't multi-task very well and prefers to focus on one thing at a time.

AnyaBella · April 2011

I guess I kind of see a difference between being a multi-tasker and being scattered. I think someone who is a good multi-tasker can keep several projects going at once and do them well. Someone who is scattered does several things at once and it is clear that their attention is divided.

Prior to having a baby I would say that I was a multi-tasker. I was usually able to keep several projects going and do pretty well with them. Of course there was always a limit to how much I could do but I'm sure everyone has their limits. Post-baby though? I would say my ability to multi-task has actually diminished. Partially because of the lack of sleep but also because a baby demands your full attention. I find it harder to focus on multiple tasks especially when I have a baby screaming at me. I find myself having to really prioritize and make lists of things I need to accomplish otherwise they won't happen.

As for DH - I think he is definitely a multi-tasker in his job because he has to be. But at home he is a bit more scattered.

ETA: My point about the multi-tasker vs. scattered thing was that I think often times people think they are multi-taskers when in reality they are just a bit scattered. Like my DH.

bb_n_jp · April 2011

My ability to multi-task is definitely a factor of how much caffeine I've had. Not enough, and I can't do it because I don't have the energy. Too much, and I buzz all over the place and get nothing done. Smile

My hubs thinks he can multi-task, but he can't. I find half-completed projects all the time.

m&m818 · April 2011

I am a multi-tasker. I can often get distracted, but when I get in my groove, I do best by multi-tasking or rather, do things that seem like seperate tasks in the sequence that makes sense in my brain.

My husband can't and doesn't even try. When we talk about it in counseling, itoverwhelms him to hear how I work things out in my brain. Surprise

DandaLion · April 2011

I am a crazy multi- tasker. I have to multitask at work, it actually is in my job description. I also do it at home. However its not good for me because I just keep trying to add more to my plate and dont give myself a break. SO cannot multi task At.all. if he has to multi task at all (we're talking doing things around the house and watching the baby), he gets so stressed out and can't handle it. Meanwhile I don?t even consider that multi tasking, because to me that's nothing. Its really hard for me to understand because I am so drastically different. I do think more women are able to multi task. I don't know if its a female trait, or just because most women just adapt to whatever they have to do I have noticed.

pink.dutch.tulips · April 2011

2bearichards:

I am a multi-tasker, I have to be.

My husband is not and can not.

this .. my multi-tasking skills amaze h. it's born out of necessity.

mrscerruti2be · April 2011

Had this discussion last night with my husband. He is incapable and I am always multi-tasking.

Mrs.K&C · April 2011

I have yet to ever meet a male that can multi-task in the most simple sense.

I am a multi-tasking machine.

Mrs.BoomBoom · April 2011

I am a multi-tasker

DH is not

I think it's more a female trait than a male one

I think it's necessary for getting things done (especially as a teacher)

EDIT:

I think it's necessary for ME to get things done (especially as a teacher)

I agree with Tiki. I'm more efficient if I can do one thing at a time, but I don't feel like I have that luxury.

Funny aside: DH and I are on the couch watching one of HIS TV shows. Both of us are also playing on our computers, e-mail, message boards, etc. I laugh at a scene. He looks up and has NO idea what has been happening in the show. At the end, he ends up saving it to watch again because he missed so much.

lukaface · April 2011

tiki_t:

I have an equation for this...

The more that one multi-tasks, the more it dilutes the ability to focus on the tasks at hand. I think that is true for both genders.

I totally agree with this-but I think it only applies to DH. I multitask fabulously

kittylove · April 2011

LV2006:
kfishie:

I am a huge multi-tasker. It part, I assume, because my life is chaotically busy and this is how I seem to be able to handle the things on my plate. It seems like I never do one thing at a time. Even when I am watching tv, I am doing something else (emails, folding laundry, on the phone, cooking, eating, etc).

DH, on the other hand, is a one task at a time guy.

This is us exactly.

This is us as well. But DH can watch TV and be on his game forums at the same time, yet can't take care of DS and do the dishes.

mylifeofkaos · April 2011

Are you a multi-tasker? Yes

Is it a female vs. male trait? Yes, watch video (starting @ 4:14 minutes in)...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fF9B0lukM4

scrapmama2201 · April 2011

Ditto those who multi-task because they have to. DH, on the other hand, can multi-task at work but is incapable at home.

SFAug07 · April 2011

I am a multitasker and get bored without it.

DH can't chew gum and have a conversation, and he knows and admits it. Total opposite.

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