mental bandwidth Quotes

There is always more information than attention

I think my biggest career mistake has been taking on too much. And I think this is kind of - I think it's related to the Internet world, where you're always multitasking and you have a million windows open and you feel like you can do a lot at the same time.

Task switching is hard because we do not control what is on our mind. Despite our efforts, the original task continues to occupy our mental bandwidth. Although we can control where our time goes, we cannot fully control how our bandwidth is allocated.

If someone around you is multitasking, you pick up distraction like second-hand smoke.

The processing capacity of the conscious mind has been estimated at 120 bits per second.

In effect, dividing your attention means that neither (or none) of the things you're working on is really getting the full effect of your intelligence, and that it in the end takes you longer than it would if you did one thing at a time.

The field of consciousness is tiny. It accepts only one problem at a time.

I do think to some extent multitasking is a way of fooling ourselves that we're being exceptionally efficient.

The field of consciousness is tiny. It accepts only one problem at a time. Get into a fist fight, put your mind on the strategy of the fight, and you will not feel the other fellow's punches.