Multitasking: Turns Out We’re ALL Bad At It

We're talking about some of the topics in Amy Wilson's new book HAPPY TO HELP. Get it in our Bookshop bookstore, or wherever you buy books! Ask most people if women are "just better" at multitasking, and they'll probably agree. Didn't some study say that at some point? Aren't women from Venus and men from Mars? Aren't our brains completely different? Here's what the research really says about multitasking. Turns out we may have been bamboozled into doing more work all this time WITHOUT being any better at it. Amy and Margaret discuss: Why multitasking feels good sometimes Why women may be better at it only because they have more practice How attempting to multitask actually makes us less productive Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode: D. Ren, H. Zhou and X. Fu, "A Deeper Look at Gender Difference in Multitasking: Gender-Specific Mechanism of Cognitive Control," for Fifth International Conference on Natural Computation. @meglskalla on TikTok: "Testing the 'Men Can't Multitask' Theory on My Husband" "Mythbusters" Season 14 Episode 5: "Battle of the Sexes Round 2" Olivia Petter for The Independent: "Multitasking inhibits productivity, research claims" Leah Ruppanner for The Conversation: "Women aren’t better multitaskers than men – they’re just doing more work" Hirsch P, Koch I, Karbach J (2019) "Putting a stereotype to the test: The case of gender differences in multitasking costs in task-switching and dual-task situations." Stoet, G., O’Connor, D.B., Conner, M. et al. for BMC Psychology: "Are women better than men at multi-tasking?" Sir Ken Robinson's TEDTalk: "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" The Miss Perceived podcast with Leah Ruppanner We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/ What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson. mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, brain development, mom brain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Om Podcasten

When you're a parent, every day brings a "fresh hell" to deal with. In other words, there's always something. Think of us as your funny mom friends who are here to remind you: you're not alone, and it won't always be this hard. We're Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables, both busy moms of three kids, but with completely different parenting styles. Margaret is a laid-back to the max; Amy never met a spreadsheet or an organizational system she didn't like. In each episode of "What Fresh Hell" we offer lots of laughs, but also practical advice, parenting strategies, and tips to empower you in your role as a mom. We explore self-help techniques, as well as ways to prioritize your own needs, combat stress, and despite the invisible workload we all deal with, find joy amidst the chaos of motherhood. If you've ever wondered "why is my kid..." then one of us has probably been there, and we're here to tell you what we've learned along the way. We unpack the behaviors and developmental stages of toddlers, tweens, and teenagers, providing insights into their actions and equipping you with effective parenting strategies. We offer our best parenting tips and skills we've learned. We debate the techniques and studies that are everywhere for parents these days, and get to the bottom of what works best to raise happy, healthy, fairly well-behaved kids, while fostering a positive parent-child relationship. If you're the default parent in your household, whether you're a busy mom juggling multiple pickups and dropoffs, or a first-time parent seeking guidance, this podcast is your trusted resource. Join our community of supportive mom friends laughing in the face of motherhood!   whatfreshhellpodcast.com