Are you a multitasker? Are you some who prides themselves on being able apparently do several things at once?

I used to be one of those people...constantly juggling between various random tasks...

The truth is, not only did it make me miserable, I was also going against the grain of human nature.

I can't put this strongly enough - Multitasking DOES NOT EXIST.

We've been sold a lie. In fact, the advertising industry pretty much invented the word back in the 1960's to sell us on the dream of ever increasing efficiency.

This has had catastrophic impact on human happiness, creativity and potential - and science has proven it.

Whilst it is possible to do a passive and an active task at the same time - for example, I'm writing this email whilst listening to same music in the background - it's physically impossible for us to focus on doing two things at once. The human brain cannot handle it.

We've all experienced this - in psychoacoustics, this is known as 'the cocktail party effect'.

We do this naturally - the brain filters out all of the other noise at the party, so you can give your undivided attention to the person speaking to you.

Renowned cognitive neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, author of the groundbreaking books 'This Is Your Brain On Music' and 'The Organised Mind' outlines the limitations the brain has for information processing.

In 'The Organised Mind', he assigns the human brain's potential for processing information a rate of data transfer, similar to an internet connection...and it's shockingly slow - around the same as dial up internet!

The human brain isn't even on broadband!

There's also a big price to pay when we try and do many tasks simultaneously - we sacrifice some of our brain's processing power every time we move from one task to another - it's known as a switching cost. 

This means we end up distracted and confused by the multiple threads we're trying to keep up with - which inevitably leads to poorer performance. 

What's the solution? Well, it might be obvious, but it's simply MONOTASKING- yep, doing just one thing at a time. Doing it with all of your focus and concentration. Doing that one thing well, and most importantly, one having to do that one thing once, as multitaskers have also been proven to have a high rate of having to repeat work due to errors...as if we're not busy enough as it is!

How does all of this relate to Music Production I hear you ask?

I see this all the time. 

Producers trying to mix down their track whilst they're still composing the melody. 

Or arranging their ideas too early, because they need to focus in on sound design.

This juggling of processes is limiting your potential as a music producer

This week, try separating out your production processes, and spend a studio session on each task - music composition, sound design, arrangement, mixing, mastering.

I guarantee you'll find it easier to get in the zone in the studio...

Here's to your newfound Flow...

Paul <3

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