I remember specifically the first time I heard the word "multitasking". It was during my first job as a manager. My publisher told me that I was not very skilled at multitasking, a new word he had learned while at a conference. He then asked me if I knew what multitasking meant. “Multitasking is doing many functions at the same time with ease” he told me. “You need to work on your multitasking skills.”
What did he know?
I was a great multitasker (now that I knew what it meant)! I could do many different functions all at the same time. I dealt with non stop office traffic from contractors, customers and staff while planning promotions and completing reports. I was offended that he would suggest I was not good at multitasking. I’d show him. I’d become the best multitasker around!
Fast forward twenty years, and multitasking has taken on a new meaning. It means “not enough time to do each item, so do all items at once.” We all fall victim to multitasking in our personal and professional lives. Multitasking has been described as a good way to do many things badly at the same time.
I asked my teenaged son and his friend for their definition of multitasking. “When you are texting girls, while watching TV, while listening to music and chatting on Facebook all at the same time.” Not exactly the example I was hoping for.
When was the last time you juggled report writing, while answering a text from your child, while you replied to an email, as you scarfed down a snack, all while participating on a conference call? One day last year, I multitasked like crazy so I could catch the hockey bus for my son's out of town hockey game. On the bus, half way to the game I realized that I was wearing two different shoes! Studies show that when we multitask our mind is divided among the different tasks therefore our attention given to each task is decreased. This is how my math brain processes that statement:
1 mind divided by 1 task = 100% focus
1 mind divided by 5 tasks = 20% focus equalized, or a mix equal to 100%
My message of the week? Tips to STOP MULTITASKING
PREPARE – Take the first 15 minutes of your day and figure out everything you must fit in to the day both personally and professionally.
LIST – Lists are visual. They allow you to make choices. They help you to process your tasks by priority and keep you from spending time on “time wasters”.
FOCUS – One thing at a time, and give it 100% attention. A conversation with your coworker or child? FOCUS. Staff meeting? FOCUS. Coffee with Friends? FOCUS. Cooking Supper? FOCUS. (I had to add this one, because multitasking through supper prep for me = burnt).
TRACK - Catch yourself multitasking. What put you there? Could it have been avoided? Did you just fall into the multitasking mindset out of habit? What item set off your need to multitask? Can it wait?
GO SLOW - Do you feel yourself in motion overload? Take a minute, tune out, and slow down your process. You will be able to better assess situations, answer questions, and engage in conversation if you first slow down your thought process.
If you want to be productive it's best not to multi-task at all, says Dave Crenshaw, a productivity coach and author of The Myth of Multitasking. "When people attempt to multitask, what they are really doing is switching rapidly back and forth between tasks, what I call 'switch tasking'. These switches cause people to lose time, and be incredibly less productive."
So, this week rather than worrying about how to multitask well why not focus on not multitasking at all and increase your effort on each individual job at hand?
This blog was written without exposure to multitasking…….. (well almost... still practicing).
Wishing you a week of 100% minded tasks.
Barb Bruce
Is it time for some non multitasking training for your staff? Contact me today at service@myradius.ca or 705-927-5953.
