Why Multitasking Can Hurt

In our internet heavy age, there are ways to stay connected when away from work, in the wild, and at home. Consuming media on our smartphones and tablet computers is becoming increasingly commonplace, but many are asking at what cost?

Reactions to quick informational bursts are an evolutionary response that allowed our ancestors to react to threats and dangers. In these situations, dopamine is released in the brain. This release of dopamine can be very addictive. When multitaskers and heavy media consumers don’t have access to information or their attentions engaged, they feel bored.

This stimulation sensitive part of the brain is different from that which uses old information to understand new problems. It becomes increasingly difficult to turn off the sensational part of the brain when you need to focus and decide about long term goals. For example, in our ancestors these parts of the brain would trigger the differences between stimuli that hint at a snowstorm and how to stay warm during the storm.

That said, certain technology can help you with occupational tasks. Accessories for GPS and wireless cell phone accessories for example, can be used in this way. But when accessories for iPhone and other wireless cell phone accessories become attached to you, it can be difficult to do without them. The lesson: technological moderation is important.

The Switch to Smart Phones

Next week, AT&T plans to change its service for smart phones, cutting prices from $30 per month for unlimited usage to $25 month for 2 gigabytes and $15 for 200 megabytes of data transference. Part of their reason for this switch is that few users, approximately 3%, account for 40% of the company’s entire data transference. AT&T believes these few users bog down the entire network.

New York and San Francisco are two cities that suffer specifically from this problem. Many users complain about poor service. Accessories for iPhone are still expected to generate large revenue because as the phones are being used less for calling and more for data, they experience more general use. Today, AT&T will also begin allowing new accessories for iPhone, namely, one called tethering for an extra $20 per month that makes an iPhone into a modem.

You can expect smart phones and wireless cell phone accessories to continue drifting towards this direction, as the internet, television, music, movies, and phone calls are used increasingly on the same device. AT&T hopes that this new plan will also sway more people towards smart phone and data usage. For those of us who still just use our phones to talk and text, this is good news.