It's been said that multitasking makes you less productive, yet that hasn't stopped the majority of U.S. smartphone users from juggling multiple devices. As many as 80% of people multitask on a mobile device while watching TV, finds a new study.

Using a laptop in front of the TV is no new behavior, yet few TV spots capitalize on the fact many consumers hold an Internet-enabled device in their hands as commercials air. The DVR presented hurdles for advertisers a decade ago as viewers were able to fast forward through ads. Today, tablets and smartphones introduce a new challenge: A more engaged yet distracted consumer. Apps and tools, such as Shazam, might offer one way for marketers to get viewers interacting with ads.

Yahoo Mobile and Razorfish polled 2,000 U.S. adults on their mobile habits and device preferences, to help marketers better understand consumer behavior.

We pulled out 7 intriguing stats on consumer multitasking patterns.

38% of respondents say browsing the web enhances their TV viewing experience, while another 38% say it makes them more distracted.

70% of respondents multitask at least once a week; 49% do so daily.

15% are on their phones for programs' entire durations.

The top 5 programming genres attracting multitaskers are reality, news, comedy, sports and food.

94% of reported multitaskers engage in some form of mobile communication while watching TV, such as exchanging email, sending IMs, texting, talking or social networking.

60% browse the mobile web, of which 44% search for unrelated content and 38% search for related content.

Mobile traffic spikes during halftime shows of sporting events; Yahoo Sports saw a 305% increase during the last Super Bowl halftime show.

What do you think marketers can learn from these patters?

Image courtesy of Flickr, JayB.Stevens2010