The dangers of multitasking

Do you multi-task?
I'm not talking about productive activity at work, I'm talking about the incessant need to do everything now. Do you text and drive? Do you check Facebook on the toilet? When was the last time you had a meal and just sat there pondering?
There is a phenomena called type A personality. This is easily identified as someone who never sits still and try's to concentrate on multiple things at once, all the time. As soon as something is accomplished the next thing is desired and time out is seen as a waste. They are the ultimate efficiency expert multi-tasker.

However there are dangers to multitasking and especially type A personality disorder. I'm not talking about running a cyclist over while trying to text and drive, I mean psychological.

This is Eleanor Abernathy aged 24.
She has a medical degree from Harvard and a Law degree from Yale. She wanted to do it all.
And this is Eleanor today.

As I write this I am sitting in a uni lecture with an assignment open in the background and work emails open on my phone. I have issues with multitasking. Thinking about Eleanor's fall from grace reminds me of a comment my supervisor once said to me. He found me in the gym cycling while reading a book on radical change management techniques and listening to MOS. I argued I was exercising, learning and relaxing at the same time. He argued that in ten years I would have a mental breakdown. 

Fair call, only problem is I don't like cats. 

Shades of ethics

I'm currently studying ethics. Id like to note here, i hate grey subjects. I'm an engineer i like answers that are right or wrong. Trying to determine if a business decision is right or wrong is like trying to decide if a panda is black or white... I'm sure memebase fans will get that reference...

Example: Nike
Fact: Nike outsources their labour to sweatshops in countries where labour is cheap. Is this ethical? Should the first world buy these products?
Obviously there is the argument that a global company is taking advantage of these people due to the lack of laws regarding safe work and minimum wages in these countries. These practices increase the quality of life gap between socioeconomic groups both within these countries and between first and third countries.

Then there is the argument that millions are given gainful employment in these countries who otherwise would not be employed. It also allows Nike to increase profits and give greater returns to shareholders.
The government deems this practice as legal and thus if you follow deontological ethics, it is ethical, even though our government would never allow our citizens to work under the same conditions.

Does good ethical decisions make good business choices? Not always.
What if the ends justify the means? In what sense? Does a good financial return justify using child labour?

When do shareholders see poor morality as a poor investment?
I think most investment bankers would sadly answer "when the share price is trending negative."