Would you say you’re a good multi-tasker? It can feel like a tug of war — technology and human interaction compete for your attention. Multitasking can seem like the way to handle these equally important interactions, until you see people checking their messages during meetings or talking on the phone while reviewing reports.
The notion that you can do two or more tasks at once is rampant. But, is it true?
In reality, multitasking is a false pretense, because you can’t effectively listen to a conversation and fully participate while reviewing documents or reports that require the same intense focus.
Then there are the mixed messages you send when you tell people how important you are to the team as you answer emails.
As innocent as multitasking seems, there are numerous studies that point to its ineffectiveness. Because it’s possible to use multiple senses at any given moment, it’s easy to believe you can answer a phone, enjoy a meal, review documents and listen to a conversation effectively.
Multitasking not only affects your career, it can be life threatening as well. Here’s what I mean: The other day I was in my car when a pedestrian crossed the street two cars in front of me while checking something on her phone. She came within a foot of being hit. Luckily the car horns got her attention, so she stopped at the last second and refocused on her near-miss accident.
The habit of multitasking usually doesn’t form overnight. Instead, it’s a product of time pressures. But here’s the problem: You think you are being productive when in reality you are performing less than you are capable of delivering.
Multitasking also can create a cycle of never-ending tasks that can make you feel overwhelmed. For example, if you’re a manager, part of your role is to delegate tasks when needed. If you are caught in a cycle of multitasking instead of assigning responsibilities to team members, you can be teaching them to be dependent.
Breaking the multitasking habit and learning to focus on one project at a time requires discipline and the ability to prioritize. Single-focus tasking is by far the most productive way to work. How many times have you heard a colleague say how they accomplished more in one day working from home than in an entire week at the office?
If you want to be more productive, start by taking small steps as you plan your day. Focus on what you need to accomplish first, then prioritize from there.
If you find interruptions send you into multitasking mode and keep you from completing the work that needs your undivided attention, try this experiment. Keep a tally of the interruptions you receive in one day. Create a crisis-management book of sorts and determine which emails, walk-ins or calls are really crisis-oriented and demand immediate attention and which ones you create by how you react.
Bad habits can be replaced with more effective ones. You can change multitasking into single-tasking by slowing down and making a decision to focus. You might be surprised by how much you can accomplish.
What are your thoughts on multitasking?
