So you think you can multitask? - Page 6

-The name of the game is minimizing the amount of mental resources needed for each task. You need to play each task in a way that it can "autopilot" for as long as possible.
-You can pay attention to a lot of visual cues while not looking directly at them, but the crux of your attention is at the spot you're looking directly at. Therefore, you have to divide your time between the games, and pop back and forth between them EFFICIENTLY. Managing your attention and eye movements are the most important part, and I'm assuming you get better at this as you get more comfortable. (ive only just thought about this stuff). As you get faster and faster with popping back and forth between games, you will start to approach a point where you are effectively doing everything at once (i call this the 'zone' in starcraft.) The first time you get in the zone, you will probably realise it, which will make you leave the zone, lol.

this is the main game you're playing. It's like the main screen in starcraft, the rest of the stuff is like the minimap, minerals, etc. It requires the biggest share of your mental resources, and attention. You have to get good at using SUBTLE inputs to make it remain in the middle and never gain any speed. The best possible scenario is: the ball is slightly off center, then you give at a tiny input to send it rolling towards the center, it doesn't quite make it, and it eventually rolls back the the original position, so you can repeat. This process is very slow and takes a long time, which is good.

try to use only the very top and very bottom positions. When you glance at this game, it is easier to determine if there is a spike coming toward you if it is in one of these extreme positions. If you need to move, check if the other end is clear, and spam the up or down key. This way you don't have to count your presses, or even watch while you move; once you start spamming up or down, you are free to move on. There are times where you need to do more than just move up or down, so you'll need to give this a little more attention once in a while, but most of the time this technique works.

You don't need to clear the squares right away. The pop-up of new squares is very salient, and your eyes AND attention naturally are drawn to it. Try and ignore this distraction, and come back to this game on your own accord. When you first glance here, make a "route" for your hand, and initiate it. By this i mean map out the simplest line or curve that you need to clean up the squares (or at least the oldest squares) and begin moving. Once you begin moving you can look away, but you still need to pay a tiny bit of attention while executing the route; hopefully not enough to distract you from your next task. If you can, and there are no squares up, come back to the middle (like tennis).

This is an on/off situation most of the time. Move your glider to the roof or the floor, and leave it there while you pop over to the other games. Plan ahead and get your timing down so you don't watch your glider fly ever.

When the messages pop up, resist the temptation to take a break. Attention has momentum. Spam the buttons to get back to the action asap, and also to stay sharp.

Unless you want to auto-lose, don't look at your score while playing. Not only does it distract you, but the mental resources needed to process a number are very high, and you invariably start doing mental math of some sort. Put a sticky-note on your score if you want, or cover it by scrolling your browser.