Multi-taskers, or panicked procrastinators?
I was surprised by this except from Topscott’s book, in that he wasn’t more critical of the Net Generation and the way use of technology, and specifically the internet, has completely changed the way we use our time. He repeatedly states that Net Geners are intelligent and can multitask unlike previous generations, but he barely broaches the subject of how technology, specifically the internet, and even more specifically Facebook, has become a vortex for procrastination and wasting time. He campaigns heavily for Facebook as a means of social connection, communication, and marketing; he notes the safety concerns of Facebook; he doesn’t mention that it, by and large, functions as a place to spend three hours a day refreshing your news feed and commenting on pictures (fact: I checked Facebook four times already when writing this post, countless times while reading the article, and probably will open it several more times before I’m done writing).
I think a key point that he is missing is that all of the technology that is readily available to us – smart phones, mp3 players, internet shopping and games – attracts our attention for such large amounts of time that the reason Net Geners work quickly is because they must fit more into their day than generations before, not all of it productive. A perfect example is the daily timeline of Rahaf, the independent new-media strategist. He writes that she charges her clients for 50hrs a week, but by my calculations, she doesn’t claim to work, on average, more than 5.5 hours a day. The remaining time (during which she is constantly multi-tasking) is spent reading blogs, Skyping, and generally gallivanting around the internet.
I’m not sure that this is a negative side-effect of technology, nor am I sure that it is positive. I know that, personally, I spend a lot more time texting, Tweeting, and YouTubing than I do finishing assignments or working. I am incredibly efficient when I have to be, but this is by and large because my pleasure romps around the internet suck up time and attention that should be given to time-consuming projects. I even complain about the lack of time I have in my life on social networking sites and my blog, fully aware of the irony, and this cycle increasingly stresses me out – and I know I am not alone in this trait.
I suppose I expected Topscott to comment on how stressed our generation seems to be about time, and how this trend can be attributed, at least in part, to how much time we spend using technology.
This is, in general, how I feel most of the time.
Nice post, Jillian – we should definitely discuss the challenges of multitasking, and whether this is even possible in the sense that it is often described (as able to do two or more tasks equally well simultaneously). Did you create this image yourself? It’s quite funny. May I share it with colleagues?
Eric Meyers
23 Jan 11 at 9:56 am
Alas, I did not! I wish I had.
It’s from the blog that Rob posted earlier – http://www.hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com
Please share it around, giving credit where credit is due, because I think the creator, Allie Brosh, is brilliant.
jillian
23 Jan 11 at 10:12 am
Great post! And it’s so true, in many ways. It is so easy to find an hour has gone by after I’ve sat myself down to work on an assignment. I’ve gotten better over the last year, but it’s still a challenge to go for long periods of time without checking Facebook, my blog, my email, etc.
And Allie Bosh rocks!!!
And I think you mean Tapscott, not Topscott 😉
Nice work!
Rob
23 Jan 11 at 11:28 am
I struggle with procrastination more than pretty much anything else these days and I can usually blame it on my constant connectedness. I’m often tempted to just cut myself off from technology sometimes, but I kind of feel like that’s giving in rather than working my way though the issue. It’s not like the technology is going away any time soon, so if I want to be able to use it in my daily life, I’d better learn how to deal with it.
Right?
kifty
23 Jan 11 at 9:52 pm