I've been asked, "What's your definition of multi-tasking and task-multiing?"

Here's how I have answered... 

First - the way I use them, both words refer to processes/actions done by people's brains [not machines].

• Multi-tasking is doing [or trying to do] a number of different tasks at one time.
• Task-multiing is doing one thing so well it can either be repeated for profit or used to accomplish more than one goal...or both.

And, there is more...

People do not multi-task well...if not all people then at least the vast majority of people do not multi-task well. When we multi-task our brains slice time & thought and actions up into small pieces to meet the requirements of multiple tasks. When brains do that they must repeatedly shift our attention.

When we multi-task we focus, initiate, stop, shift, re-focus, re-initiate, etc. For a number of reasons, people's brains have trouble doing that.

Another factor: when we are multi-tasking, much of the time we are doing things that are a waste of time. By 'waste of time' I mean things that do not take us toward our goals. By Spirited definition, those things are Bad Habits. The distraction caused by multi-tasking increases the likelihood of doing waste-of-time things.

While we are wasting our time on excessive [multi-tasking] things or struggling with multi-tasking in general, we are not concentrating on activity that can be repeated for profit or can be used to serve multiple purposes. i.e., Many people's brains are too busy [because of their] multi-tasking to perform task-multiing. As a result, multi-tasking people miss many opportunities.

Opportunities are found by people who are able to focus and concentrate the energies in their minds...[and let that focus and concentration fully escape...but that's a topic for another day].

Many brains are neuronally challenged to the point they are over-loaded...in other words - too busy. The people who own those brains are, in reality, too busy for constructive work. What's worse, even more people think they are too busy - these people are mixing I'm-too-busy thoughts with bits and pieces and fragments of multi-tasking thoughts. Now, that's a sure-fired way to waste brain energy and accomplish little.

That's why I say task-multiing is better than multi-tasking.

[It’s also explains why successful people have more time…but, that’s another Thought Post.]

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"The neural circuits devoted to scanning, skimming and multi-tasking are expanding and strengthening while those used for reaping and thinking deeply with sustained concentration are weakening or eroding."

Clifford Nass, Stanford University