With all there is to do each day, multitasking is something humans naturally do, thinking that we are getting more done in less time. But are we?

Just as our eyes can focus on only one thing at a time, our brains can pay attention to only one thing at a time.

I remember when some televisions had one to three little inset boxes on the screen so that one could “;multiview”; several programs simultaneously.

That's like channel surfing between three programs. In the same hour, is it possible to quickly switch attention between “;Lost,”; the nightly news and a Korean drama, and have good comprehension of each?

How satisfying is that? If the goal of watching television is for relaxation, how relaxing is that? If it's to get information, how much is comprehended and retained? It's no wonder those kinds of television sets are no longer offered.

According to John Medina, author of “;Brain Rules,”; multitasking is a myth since the brain naturally focuses on concepts sequentially, one at a time. When we multitask, what we are doing is quickly switching attention back and forth between tasks.

All this switching divides our attention and can slow us down, make the job take longer, impede comprehension, hinder retention, increase fatigue and anxiety, and leave more things unfinished.

Recent studies show that there is a small percentage of the population—about 2.5 percent—who are high-functioning “;supertaskers”; and can focus well on more than one thing at a time.

Like most readers, I am in the 97.5 percent of those who are not supertaskers. Recently, as I was paying bills while checking e-mail and answering phone calls, I paid the Sports Illustrated bill twice and almost missed sending in the insurance payment!

But, are there times we can do several things at once?

We can do several things at once for things that are routine. Mothers are famous for being able to multitask. They can keep an eye on the children, cook dinner and do a load of laundry all at the same time.

According to psychology professor Russell Poldrack, not every situation requires full attention to a task. Certain physical actions, like walking or eating, are so hardwired that they don't tax our brains much. Also, there's certainly no harm in combining simple, low-stakes tasks, like folding laundry and watching television. Poldrack has found that if tasks rely on similar processes, they are more likely to interfere with each other. Talking on the phone and writing an e-mail, for instance, might be hard because both involve language.

Two tasks that should not be combined are driving a vehicle and talking or texting on a cell phone. Medina writes that large fractions of a second are consumed every time the brain switches tasks, so it's not surprising that cell phone talkers get into more car accidents than anyone except drunken drivers.

The definition of “;multi”; is “;many,”; so multitasking refers to doing many tasks at the same time.

Instead of multitasking, I prefer “;dovetailing,”; which is doing two things at a time—one active and the other automatic or passive. It is possible to walk while talking on a cell phone, exercise while watching television or drive while listening to a book on tape. I've found dovetailing to be manageable and not mentally taxing or physically exhausting.

So, what can we do when there's just so much to do each day? I think part of the answer lies in dovetailing as many routine, automatic tasks as we can while designating time each day to “;monotask”; and fully focus on important, detailed work.

As with everything in life, balance is the key.

See you in two weeks!

Ruth Wong owns Organization Plus. Her column runs the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Contact her by e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).