by Jeff Toister, Toister Performance Solutions, Inc.

How, you may ask? Humans can only process one conscious thought at a time. We work slower and make more errors when we try to do more than one thing at a time that requires our attention.

Here are some common examples of multitasking that can lead to service failures:
* Trying to type an email while speaking to another customer
* Talking to a co-worker while serving a customer
* Responding to a text while having a conversation

A great way to experience how multitasking can hurt performance is to try a Stroop Test. Give it a try and see how you do.

Bonus Info: Be careful — multitasking can be addictive. Toister compiled a short explainer to describe how this happens and what you can do about it.

– submitted by Carmen Gass, User Services Training Coordinator