6B/SPC
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HEALTH
GOOD FOR YOU BAD FOR YOU // MULTITASKING
> Sometimes it's hard to tell.
Bailey Waite does research while text messaging, talks on the phone while driving and checks her email while cooking dinner.
"I'm pretty good at taking care of more than one thing at a time," Waite, Salina senior, says.
Multitasking may be a great way to get things done, but we may not be getting them done as well as we could. A recent study at Stanford University revealed that media multitaskers performed tasks less efficiently than their single-tasking peers.
Clifford Nass, a professor of sociology at Stanford University, says our brains are
designed to process one informational stimulus at a time. Each time you switch from one task to another there is a significant lapse in concentration.
"When it comes to media, if content is unrelated, the brain can't think," Nass says. "When you perform multiple tasks at once the delay is much larger than if you perform tasks in sequence."
Information overload. Multitasking may seem harmless, but conquering many tasks at a time can after your concentration and even affect memory.
Nass says multitasking is efficient if simple tasks performed simultaneously activate separate channels, like washing dishes while watching the news.
Paul Atchley, associate professor of psychology at the University, says multitasking negatively affects memory and primary task performance. He says heavy multitaskers perform a single task worse than their counterparts and are no better at performing multiple tasks. "There's really no advantage," Atchley says. "Pickthetaskyouneedtoaccomplish first, set the others aside and do each task individually."
VERDICT: Bad for you. MEGAN RUPP
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THAT'S DISGUSTING // WALKING BAREFOOT
Abbie Lyons, Garden City senior, enjoys walking around barefoot. If she only knew how gross it was to walk outside without shoes, she might reconsider.
> Dude...gross.
Kicking off your shoes and tromping around barefoot is not only dangerous, but it's disgusting. Sure, the feel of warm summer grass beneath your feet is great on occasion. Just beware of what is lurking inside of all that green grass. Nothing will ruin your day more than stepping right into a huge steaming pile of dog poop. Yuck! Add bug bites, warts, splinters and broken glass into the equation and you've got yourself a disaster.
Joel Foster, a doctor of pediatric medicine from Lees Summit, Mo., says viral infections like warts are common for people who walk around barefoot. "It's especially disgusting if you have nasty feet," Foster says. "If you have a fungus, you could be spreading it around to everybody else."
contributed photo
Foothost: *Leaving your bare feet run wild could result in yourself to do and others. Before you go sans sandals, be aware that you could be spreading disease, not to mention stepping in unpleasant substances.*
Foster says people should avoid
walking barefoot outside, and those with plantar fasciitis, a condition that causes heel pain, should always avoid it because it only worsens the condition.
Next time you want to kick off your shoes and run around barefoot, you might want to think again. And if you insist on going barefoot, be sure to watch your step.
JACQUE WEBER
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