Women are better at multitasking
By picjim
@picjim (3002)
India
July 18, 2010 11:51pm CST
Today's news report goes on to add that men are worse at multitasking than women,although it does depend on the task.Researchers the article goes on found that when women and men work on a number of simple tasks-such as searching for a key or doing easy math problems-at the same time,the women significantly out performed men.The study said it showed that women are better at being able to stand back and reflect for a moment while they are juggling things.What are your views?Do share them.
1 person likes this
18 responses
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
20 Jul 10
I have always said that women are better at multi tasking. I think that comes because from childhood itself they tend to handle many tasks at one time. For e.g. in India women usually help mother in cooking and cleaning up house. Then they do their studies and then they also take out time for friends, gossip and having fun. While for boys it is usually just TV, friends and studies. So I guess women are better groomed for multi-tasking and that just keeps moving on from there on. But hey now-a-days the gap is closing!!
Cheers!
Ram
@picjim (3002)
• India
20 Jul 10
Yes in countries like India the orientation of the girl child is towards helping the mother at home and learning household activities from a young age.Beside this they concentrate on studies.They have a wide friend circle to cause a diversion from the routine.Women also enjoy programs on T.V. and are adept at learning classical dance and music.These activities groom them for the travails of life later on.But the independent nature of modern life is also encouraging men to fend for themselves and this is laying the groundwork for future multi tasking among men.
@kharlav (1669)
• Philippines
20 Jul 10
This is good news to women, lol. I think this is right. Though I couldn't really compare since I haven't tried working with a male in an office or what. But, maybe this is because mostly women are used to doing household chores, and often many household chores that they learned to multitask to get things done and try to organize their busy life. Busy because they had to work or/and go to school plus are expected to do cook every meals and clean the house. Well, this is based on experience.
@picjim (3002)
• India
20 Jul 10
One of friends had earlier mentioned that it is evolution which has made this factor prominent.Probably throughout the ages we have been assigned roles and have developed accordingly.Women being at home have to do many tasks within a prescribed time,hence this trait has developed more in them.I feel men prioritise work and concentrate on each task at hand.
@kharlav (1669)
• Philippines
21 Jul 10
I agree with you. When you think of the word household chores you can quickly imagine women doing household chores because women are expected to do it. Nowadays, women also go to school and have jobs, unlike before when they do not. THat is why I believe that woman are more busy than men. Thus, they learned to multitask.
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
20 Jul 10
That actually makes a lot of sense though there are some exceptions to that rule. Even though times have long since changed and women are more out in the work force than before we are still expected to slave around the house, take care of the children and take care of our husband if we have one. Men just work, come home, sit in chair, scratch balls, eat food.. So its only reasonable to see that we would be better muli-taskers because we have the most practice. Btw yeah I know there are men who feed and change they're kids and cook and all that but not that many.
@picjim (3002)
• India
20 Jul 10
I do admit that women have a head start in multi tasking when compared to men.But modern independent life is to an extent reducing the gap.Women have traditionally done a number of activities which you have explained in detail.These activities have enabled them to be efficient at multi tasking.There are exceptions among men but i guess the point to be noted is whether they are in a large number.
@tomitomi (5429)
• Singapore
19 Jul 10
What's going on at home seems to point to the same direction. My wife is sure good at multitasking. While she washes the laundry she cleans the house and attends to the kids as well and talking to me at the same time. Attitude, responsibility? It's a great job! 
@daemonsparta (24)
• United States
20 Jul 10
right.. "tests"... don;t trust the media for pulling off a "scientific" test people. they don;t factor in everything that can be factored and work with stupid topics and results. gender has little to no effect on something like multitasking.
@dorisday1971 (5657)
• Philippines
19 Jul 10
It may not be true to all but between me and my husband, I can do many tasks at the same better than him. I can do multitasking activities. It is very difficult for my husband to do many things at the same time and it makes him mad.
@picjim (3002)
• India
19 Jul 10
Yours is once again a very balanced approach.I too feel on an average women will multi task better than most men but there are men who are equally capable.One reason why men could find multitasking difficult is they perhaps concentrate more on one task.They probably aren't adept at doing two or more tasks simultaneously.But i feel this is only a generalisation and there could be exceptions.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
19 Jul 10
I have hard this before but then I read about a study that said multitasking is very harmful. It tricks the brain and caused many more mistakes.
@CTHanum (8234)
• Malaysia
19 Jul 10
it depends on the tasks or the activity.men usually focused one thing at a time while we women loves to think many things inside their heads.the disadvantage is sometimes because we think and do things too much we tends to finish the task later then men.but it just sometimes not all the time..
@picjim (3002)
• India
19 Jul 10
What you say might be true.As your thinking is more diverse probably the tasks get delayed.Men on the other hand with single minded determination are probably concentrating more on the topic on hand and finishing it quicker.But this study is on an average and not for people in particular.There could be exceptions in both genders.
@christiana81 (717)
• Romania
19 Jul 10
I thonk women have distributive attention an patience....but are men good at multitasking too... rare but are.
@picjim (3002)
• India
19 Jul 10
Yes what you say could be true.That women distribute their attention to several tasks on hand.The article claims this holds good only in an average and there could be exceptions in both genders.I feel there are men who can multi task and I've seen several and some of our fellow mylotters will vouch for it.
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
19 Jul 10
Yes. Very good. I agree. This was actually known by the ancients. Do you know why women are better at finding things? They move things! Men just stand there & stare! My wife taught me that. But it goes much further. It's to do with the make-up of our brains being very different. I believe in India there's a saying that in order to be born as a woman in this life, you need to have undergone nine lives as a man. All the best leaders of the Golden Ages were women. Cleopatra in Egypt, Greece as well, England had the Elizabethan eras & many more besides. Women "operate on a whole other level" according to comedian Jerry Seinfeld - & he's right. They make far better leaders on the whole, as history shows.
@picjim (3002)
• India
19 Jul 10
You are right to an extent because there is a saying that behind every successful man there is a woman.I don't think all men just stand stare when action is required.But at the same time i accept that there were great women leaders who made a great impact throughout the ages.I've read that women make better managers as they are able to understand the situation and get the best out of their employees.
@pastigger (612)
• United States
19 Jul 10
I know I multi task better than my husband. But to be fair I think we have diffrent deffinitions of the word. I see multi tasking as getting severl things done or worked on at the same time. My husband however see it as remembering to do the next thing after he has finished the first thing.
I do believe being a mother helps you to multi task you would be suprised what a mom can get done while holding a child/baby or even watching a child/baby. I have cooked, cleaned, shopped, paid bills and many other things while holding my daughter. When my husband watches her that is what he does he watches her and maybe some tv. Although when she was a little baby he did manage to get her to nap on him while playing a video game :)
@picjim (3002)
• India
20 Jul 10
Yes most women seem to have the ability to concentrate on several tasks at once.Men on the other hand like your husband give a priority to tasks and complete one at a time.Women seem to juggle their household chores.The male while helping out at home is able to concentrate on a few tasks.
@lunchz (43)
•
19 Jul 10
that seems to be correct, because i am also a woman and i can multitask eventhough my schedule is hectic and i'm doing lots of things beside another one i can still manage to finish them and i am happy with the results. also i don't want to be stressed too much because it will reflect in my personal appearance so i really do everything just not to let my work pin me down. when rough times come i just take a deep breath and look at the problem calmly, if i need to have atleast a second of breather i really took the chance to atleast unwind then go on with the work again. and then finishes it off.
@picjim (3002)
• India
20 Jul 10
Your strategy to cope with many tasks seems ideal.Taking a deep breath and taking a few minutes to reflect on the task at hand helps one to chart out the next course of action.Your ability to stay unruffled is helping you with your physical appearance.I think this an effective way to do many tasks without feeling undue stress.
@cursoralbert99 (412)
• Malaysia
19 Jul 10
In my opinion, this research conducted towards certain amount of women which live within certain area.
But, I do admit, most men especially me, can't handle too much works at one time. I am focused towards a task and will arrange the tasks based on priority.
Anyway, somehow, I never met a girl/woman who handle multi tasks so far. This research should be done more widely, I suppose.
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
19 Jul 10
I think there's always a problem when you generalise a gender because you stop seeing them as unique individuals. All I can say from my own experience is that I am female and I cannot multitask to save my life! I’d say I have a one-track mind, but that could be too easily misinterpreted! *lol*
@jonnifc (1017)
• Philippines
19 Jul 10
Well I agree that it depends on the tasks. There are things men are good at. Consequently, there are things that women are better at. But then again I keep thinking back to the basic roles of men and women. Men are for hunting food. Women are for all the other tasks required at home. Maybe that's the reason why more women outperformed the men in the research you mentioned. Women are just wired that way.
@picjim (3002)
• India
19 Jul 10
Yes the research also underlines your view.It says it depends on the task.Yours is a very balanced answer going back to the origin of roles played by men and women and its impact on multitasking.The reasons you have mentioned could be the reason why perform better at certain multi tasks.
@T_Diamond (965)
• New Zealand
19 Jul 10
I agree with that. My ex was always better at multitasking than me :D
• Philippines
20 Jul 10
thats very much true! lols.. but yeah we can tolerate the stress of juggling several things at the same time.. and woman can do it better..
