In a multi-screen, multi-tab, multitasking, fast-paced environment that is our current reality in the world of business, it is a wonder we can accomplish anything worthwhile during a workday. It seems the forces of distraction and busy-ness are working against us to steal our profits, our peace, and maybe even our health.
You’ve heard the multitasking facts:
- Multitasking decreases productivity by 40%.
- Multitasking causes inattentional blindness – not seeing the obvious because of consistent distraction.
- The human brain is not wired to do multiple tasks at once.
- Multitasking is really just task switching, which slows down our ability to complete any of the tasks that we toggle between.
We know the facts, but do you know the solutions? Here are my top tips for solving the multitasking dilemma.
Write it down.
Write down mundane information that you want to remember at a later time. Save your brain power for more complex tasks. When your list is made, your brain does not feel compelled to hold non-urgent information in memory. Keep a pencil and paper by your bedside for those nights when sleep is elusive and your brain is churning out the next big idea for your business.
Give yourself time to reboot.
If you find yourself multitasking, your brain may need to take a break. Too many open “files” in your brain may make finishing your task a monumental feat. Take a 10-15 minute break. Then return to your task, finishing the most important part of the task before adding other pieces that will require you to repeatedly shift focus and slow down your workflow.
Try clustertasking.
Chunk your repeated tasks into a specific time of day. For example, you can choose one or two times in a day to check and respond to email or text messages. You may believe that doing this will cause you to miss important conversations, but in reality, your people will begin to pick up on your rhythms and will come to expect responses at those specific times.
Prioritize daily workflow.
At the end of a day, try creating your to do for the following workday. When you have your tasks listed, you can then begin prioritizing them into a workable flow. Number them from highest to lowest priority. And be ok with pushing the lowest priority items to the next workday. Time management is really just priority management, so when you prioritize your day, your productivity will skyrocket.
Unfortunately, deciding to single-task instead of multi-task is counter-cultural in today’s world. Doing one thing at a time seems a luxury. Or for some, it may even seem wasteful.
But the truth is that doing one thing at a time and doing it well will set you apart from those who believe they are proficient multi-taskers. Your attention to detail and to a focused and finished product will begin to put you above your competition.
