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Multitasking Gives Creativity a Boost

By Cynthia Corzo

Multitasking has long been defined as a stressor that reduces performance and should be avoided, but a new FIU Business study shows that having your brain juggle multiple tasks can fuel creativity in subsequent work-related assignments.

"When multitasking, you're stimulating multiple parts of the brain and it activates more resources, including energy, to meet those increased demands," said Chaitali Kapadia, assistant professor of global leadership and management at FIU Business and one of the researchers.

That leftover energy doesn't have an immediate effect on the task at hand, she said, but as it dissipates slowly, it triggers a chain reaction that allows the brain to generate more original, creative ideas on a subsequent task.

The general messaging for managers has been that employees shouldn't multitask because it hurts productivity. However, the perception that what employees do and how they do it can have a positive influence is now broadening, Kapadia explained.

"You can choose certain times of the day to multitask to increase performance on certain projects," said Kapadia.

Kapadia conducted the research with Shimul Melwani of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"WHEN MULTITASKING, YOU'RE STIMULATING MULTIPLE PARTS OF THE BRAIN AND IT ACTIVATES MORE RESOURCES, INCLUDING ENERGY, TO MEET THOSE INCREASED DEMANDS."
Chaitali Kapadia

Published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology, the research was based on four experiments:

Three groups of 240 people participated on a conference call. One group had to respond to three emails during the call and the other two groups did both tasks consecutively for different lengths of time. Afterward, all had to provide alternate uses for a brick. Those who multitasked had more original ideas.

Six professional chefs reviewed 44 episodes of the television series"Chopped," judging the contestants' multitasking and creativity of recipes. They found chefs who multitasked in the appetizer round designed more original entrées, and those who did so in the entrée round made more inventive desserts.

Another 171 people participated on a conference call with toy company executives. One group had to respond to five emails during the call and the other two groups responded following the call. When asked to provide an idea to extend the toy line, those who multitasked were more creative.

A survey of 105 servers from 20 restaurants found that self-reported high levels of multitasking and energy stimulation showed improved cognitive flexibility and subsequent creative performance.