Learn why classic diners are shaped like train cars; why multitasking is impossible, and what you should do to be productive instead; and how you can use a simple tip from Mark Twain called the Frog Rule to stop procrastinating on important tasks. Classic Diners Are Shaped Like Train Cars for a Very Good Reason Multitasking Is Impossible, So Batch Tasks Instead The Frog Rule Can Help You Stop Procrastinating on Important Tasks Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day withCody Gough andAshley Hamer. Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.
Learn why classic diners are shaped like train cars; why multitasking is impossible, and what you should do to be productive instead; and how you can use a simple tip from Mark Twain called the Frog Rule to stop procrastinating on important tasks.
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.
Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/batch-tasks-instead-of-multitasking-mark-twains-procrastination-cure-and-diner-origins
[MUSIC PLAYING] CODY GOUGH: Hi. We've got three of your favorite stories from the past year to help you get smarter in just a few minutes. I'm Cody Gough.
ASHLEY HAMER: And I'm Ashley Hamer. Today you'll learn why classic diners are shaped like train cars, why multitasking is impossible and what you should do to be productive instead, and how you can use a simple tip from Mark Twain to stop procrastinating on important tasks.
CODY GOUGH: Let's stop putting it off and satisfy some curiosity on the award-winning Curiosity Daily. Have you ever wondered why a lot of classic diners look like train cars? Diners are the best.
ASHLEY HAMER: They are.
CODY GOUGH: You always order breakfast no matter what time it is?
ASHLEY HAMER: I do.
CODY GOUGH: Yes. That's the right way to do it.
ASHLEY HAMER: [CHUCKLES]
CODY GOUGH: We can go to diners together.
ASHLEY HAMER: Great.
CODY GOUGH: Love it.
ASHLEY HAMER: [CHUCKLES]
CODY GOUGH: Well, the word "diner" covers a pretty broad spectrum of dining establishments these days, from your mom-and-pop joints around the corner to national chains like Denny's. But diners have much more humble origins. Before diners were buildings, they were portable. And before they were shaped like train cars, they were shaped like horse carts.
In 1872, an entrepreneur named Walter Scott from Providence, Rhode Island, got an idea. He fitted a spare horse cart with the bare essentials he needed to make food, and he rolled it out at dusk as a night lunch wagon for night-shift workers and theatergoers and anybody else out late at night. He served coffee, pies, eggs, and sandwiches. And he was so successful that he was able to quit his printing business.
Of course, other mobile lunch carts started to copy the idea. And by the early 20th century, the market was pretty much ruled by three manufacturers-- Worcester Lunch Car Company, Tierney, and O'Mahony. They kept growing. And over time, the new dining cars weren't pulled by horses. They were hooked on the cargo trains. When those dining cars arrived at their destination, they would lose their wheels but keep the late-night hours.
By the 1920s, "dining car" was shortened to "diner." And by the '30s, the Art Deco style popular in train cars started to creep into diners too. That's when the diner really took off and became a piece of American identity.
And here's a fun fact. Do you know where the diner capital of the world is? New Jersey, with more than 600 diners. Although my favorite diner is the Double R Diner from Twin Peaks, which by the way, is called Twede's Cafe in North Bend, Washington. And yes, I've been there.
ASHLEY HAMER: This must be where pies go when they die. Research says your brain is not wired for multitasking. But we all love saving time. So today we'll tell you what to do instead of multitasking to spend your time more efficiently.
CODY GOUGH: I think I had "multitasker" as a bullet point in my resume for like 10 years.
ASHLEY HAMER: Really?
CODY GOUGH: Yeah.
ASHLEY HAMER: Did you remove it after you got a job here?
CODY GOUGH: [LAUGHS] Well, believe it or not, I haven't updated my resume lately. But next time I do, I may remove it for this reason.
ASHLEY HAMER: Yeah. The thing about multitasking is that you're never actually doing two tasks at the same time. You're just switching from one to the other and back again. That switching eats up more time than you probably realize.
In a 2007 study, people who are interrupted by an email or an instant message during a computer task were 20 to 25 minutes behind by the time they resumed the first task, even though the interruption only took 10 minutes. A third of those people took more than two hours to get back on task. So do the opposite of multitasking and instead batch your tasks.
The idea is that you split up your tasks by category, things like emails, writing, and idea generation. Then do all of each type in one chunk of time. That chunk can be one four-hour session on Mondays or a 30-minute session every morning and evening, whatever the task calls for. Mark it in your calendar and treat it like an appointment.
Now this works great for things like responding to emails or scheduling tweets. But it doesn't always work with creative tasks, like writing and designing. A 2017 study out of Columbia Business School found that when people regularly switch between tasks, they performed better on a test of creative thinking than people who worked on one task the whole time, and even those who switched when they felt like it. So at the end of the day, a little bit of both might be best. Batch those pesky tasks that eat up your time, and save your switching around for the creative stuff.
CODY GOUGH: Did you like how I was writing emails the whole time you read that?
ASHLEY HAMER: [CHUCKLES] I loved that.
CODY GOUGH: [LAUGHS]
ASHLEY HAMER: That was very good, Cody.
CODY GOUGH: I was listening, I promise.
ASHLEY HAMER: On topic. [CHUCKLES]
CODY GOUGH: Today's episode is sponsored by Purple Mattress-- better sleep, better you. Remember, multitasking is impossible. But try getting anything done when you haven't gotten a good night's sleep. That's really impossible.
ASHLEY HAMER: Yeah. Here at Curiosity, we are definitely no strangers to the benefits of sleep. And that's why you need to try a Purple Mattress.
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ASHLEY HAMER: You are going to love Purple. And right now, Curiosity Daily listeners will get a free Purple Pillow with a purchase of a mattress. That's in addition to the great free gifts they're offering sitewide. Just text "curious" to 474747.
CODY GOUGH: The only way to get this free pillow is to text "curious" to 474747.
ASHLEY HAMER: That's "C-U-R-I-O-U-S" to 474747. Message and data rates may apply.
CODY GOUGH: Ready to become more productive? We've got a tip today that comes from Mark Twain, supposedly. We made a video about this on Facebook earlier this year, but it's worth repeating on our podcast. And it's called the frog rule. Do you ever use this, Ashley?
ASHLEY HAMER: I always use this actually.
CODY GOUGH: I try to always use this. When I fail, it's obvious. And when I succeed, it's like the best day ever. If you don't know what this rule is, supposedly, Mark Twain once said something along the lines of, "Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day."
There's actually no definitive evidence that Mark Twain spoke or wrote the phrase. There's even an alternate version that goes a little like this, and this might help make this tip make more sense. Quote, "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first," unquote.
In more practical terms, the frog is your worst, least enjoyable task of the day, that thing you're dreading. But a lot of the time, it's also the most important thing for you to do that day. At least, a couple authors have written about the benefits of doing this. Self-development author and public speaker Brian Tracy wrote that, quote, "Successful, effective people are those who launch directly into their major tasks and then discipline themselves to work steadily and single-mindedly until those tasks are complete," unquote.
And retired US Navy Admiral William McRaven says that he makes his bed every morning so that he has a sense of accomplishment at the start of his day, not to mention some pride in sticking to a good habit of self-discipline. Try to work this week and see how it affects the rest of your work day. That is where I find it is really, really helpful.
ASHLEY HAMER: Definitely.
CODY GOUGH: Sending those dreaded emails, making that phone call you just don't want to deal with. Get that of the way before noon, and the rest of your day will just go so smoothly.
ASHLEY HAMER: Totally. Read about today's stories and more on curiosity.com.
CODY GOUGH: Join us again tomorrow for more of your favorite stories of the year on the award-winning Curiosity Daily. I'm Cody Gough.
ASHLEY HAMER: And I'm Ashley Hamer. Stay curious.
NARRATOR: On the Westwood One Podcast Network.
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