'I know I’m not the only one who is multitasking during virtual meetings.' Our ExperimentalError columnist owns up to multitasking during virtual meetings—and why it might not actually be so bad. ScienceCareers
Experimental Error is a column about the quirky, comical, and sometimes bizarre world of scientific training and careers, written by scientist and comedian Adam Ruben.As a scientist working from home, I’ve come to classify meetings based on how disruptive they are to my sweatpants lifestyle. At the top of the list are meetings that require my complete engagement, where I not only have to turn on my webcam but also interact fully and constantly, often in front of people who will judge me.
It felt weird at first—especially given my prior contempt for electronic multitasking, probably borne out of watching undergraduates do it badly. When I was a grad student, I worked as a teaching assistant for a large lecture course. Standing in the back of the room, ready to help with assistant-level tasks, I could see something the professor never saw from his podium: The moment the lecture started, as if by magic, all around the room appeared dozens of glowing rectangles.
Now, however, I kind of get it. Sometimes you’re in a meeting, or a lecture class, or some other situation that doesn’t require your full engagement, and you decide the best use of your time is to do something else simultaneously, whether that’s playing irrelevant games during class to stay awake or—boring but necessary—getting other work done while you listen.
I know I’m not the only one who is multitasking during virtual meetings. I’ve even seen people do it while sharing their screen. Or they’ll forget to mute, and then everyone in the meeting hears them typing furiously. It’s so standard that I doubt I’m revealing anything shocking by talking about it. But let’s be honest: For many of us, there’s simply too much work to do to take an hourlong “vacation” to attend a meeting. And if you’re attending a multiday virtual conference, can you realistically put your day-to-day work on hold the whole time?
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