Category: multitasking

5 Tips for Getting into the Single-Tasking Habit

~ adminlife

For too long we’ve been conditioned to think that multitasking somehow equates with productivity. The truth is, multitasking leads to distraction which means each task takes longer and more effort to complete. And did you know that when we multitask, we lose IQ points?!

With that in mind, maybe it’s time to get into the single-tasking habit. How do you get your focus back when you’ve become so used to constant jumping from item to item on your To-Do list?

1. Make a practice of having only one browser tab open at a time. If you’re reading this on the internet, then chances are you have several tabs open right now. The first step to getting your focus back is to concentrate on just one item at a time. Shut down those other tabs and take back your life!

2. One app at a time. This point follows the same principle as #1, in that you likely have several apps open at once. Limit the open apps to only those that you’re using at the time. Fewer open apps mean you’ll extend phone battery life, reduce data usage, and the phone will be more responsive.

3. Make a commitment. Whatever you’re reading or doing, tell yourself that you’re going to see it through to the end. Finish that email and answer it while it’s fresh. Or finish reading that article all the way to the end before exiting out of the news site. If you find a pushback in that you don’t want to finish reading the article, then maybe that’s your brain trying to tell you that you’re not all that interested. If that’s the case isn’t it time to stop reading and move onto something more productive? Why are you wasting time on something you don’t want to do?

4. Build your focus. Pay attention to the task at hand. Don’t let other thoughts creep into your consciousness. Being mindful means that you’re going to get more from what you’re reading or doing. You’ll also be able to put more effort into any project you’re working on rather than being distracted all the time.

5. Turn off the screens. If you’re finding that you’re too distracted by your electronics in general, then maybe it’s time to walk away completely for a time. Ask yourself – do you need to be so connected that you can’t shut down the internet for half an hour to get stuff done?

Follow these steps, and you’re going to find that single-tasking is addictive. With increased productivity, and better focus and concentration, you’ll not only feel smarter; you’ll be smarter. Now put that intellect to work on the next task.

Stop Multitasking – It Kills Your Focus

multitasking
~ adminlife

Humans are not good at multitasking, despite what many will tell you. They end up doing a bunch of tasks poorly. We are not machines and therefore don’t have the ability to slice up the time in ways that will be the most productive. Computers are quite good at doing this, but humans are not at all.

You may be able to get away with doing two items at the same time. But, remember, most tasks will require full attention and it is not possible to do them simultaneously. Even computers have to emulate multitasking when the number of tasks required of them is greater than the number of processors. However, they do everything in a completely programmatic way. So, they know how to handle the emulated multitasking.

If you can use computers to do multiple tasks, that can help you get more done in less time. However, you still will need to manage the time for those tasks to ensure it has all the inputs needed and take care of whatever outputs are produced.

Another problem humans have with multitasking is that we can’t help our minds wandering off when doing mundane tasks. We forget what we were doing. This often requires us to retrace our steps to figure out what we may have missed. It’s certainly possible to come up with a system where you write down where you left off, etc. But even here, the more tasks you try to do this with, the tougher it will be to manage.

The situation gets complicated when managers expect you to get multiple tasks done and they don’t seem to take into account the amount of time needed for all the tasks. If this is your situation, try to find ways to offload or delegate to others. You may be able to convince management to outsource aspects of your job to external resources. More companies are implementing this as it is quite cost effective. There are some challenges when doing this as you will need to manage those resources and deal with company trade secrets, etc. But, if you can make this work, it can be a tremendous productivity booster.

Your focus will improve if you can keep your tasks to one item at a time. You may need to determine the critical paths of the tasks you are responsible for. When you show your manager that you get higher quality work complete by working on tasks one at a time, you should be able to convince him or her this is a better approach.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W

P.S. If you are looking for a confidence program that can help you with your self development. Send me an email at michael@youaresuccesslifecoach.com to request a copy of my “Maximum Confidence Transformation Package”. Afterwards we can arrange a discovery telephone call to discuss the package and how you can benefit further from developing your confidence level.