Tip Tuesday - Effective Multitasking
There has been a lot of buzz lately about how multitasking is bad for you and that it decreases productivity.
I read an article titled “Multitasking is BAD for your brain!” Here’s a line from the article, “Researchers found that people who often multitask were worse at organizing their thoughts and filtering out irrelevant information compared to those who don't multitask. Overall, the study found that multitasking reduces efficiency and performance because the brain is only meant to focus on one thing at a time.” It goes on to say, “productivity can be reduced by as much as 40% by the mental blocks created when people switch tasks.”
My response to that theory:
Yes, duh. 😉 If you are trying to do two huge time and mind consuming tasks at once that will cut into your efficiency and productivity levels. I do agree with some of the research in this article BUT I think there are effective and simple ways to make multitasking work to your advantage. Multitasking can help you get through some of the more mundane, simple, and necessary tasks on your list!
I share this concept with my productivity clients…
Productivity isn’t measured by how much you get done in a day it’s measured by how you manage your time.
WHAT DOES EFFECTIVE MULTITASKING LOOK LIKE?
The key to multitasking is to group things on your list that won’t be compromised if they don’t have your FULL attention. This looks different for everyone.
For example, multitasking for me looks completely different than it does for my sister-in-law who has four small boys. She has more people that need her attention, often times all at once! It doesn’t mean she can’t multitask at all. It just looks different for her. She can start a load of laundry, thaw meat for dinner, and do another task all at the same time. Now that the boys are getting older, she can also delegate some of the simpler things that need to be done.
Some people easily get distracted or have short attention spans but that doesn’t exempt them from multitasking. Anyone can group like things on their to-do list to increase productivity.
I try to group similar tasks and intentionally schedule certain times during the day to knock them out. It keeps me from having to go back to the same task numerous times a day.
As you’re thinking through tasks for the day, determine what is urgent and what is important. There is a difference. Make sure you get to the urgent things first when you are prioritizing your list.
If you are consistent in the process of task grouping you’ll see a noticeable difference in your days.
The reason jumping around unintentionally from task to task slows down productivity is because our brains are having to shift gears in between the task each time. If you move to another task before finishing the first you’re likely still thinking about the first unfinished task. Also, by the time you get back around to it you will likely waste time trying to figure out where you left off! Some times your schedule requires you to leave a task unfinished and come back to it later. If that’s the case, take the time to wrap it up in a way you can easily jump back in! Write down a few notes of where you’re leaving off so that it’s easier to get back to it!
I offer productivity consulting services to individuals, families, and businesses. If you’re interested in setting up a consultation, message me!