Multitasking is a buzzword for our generation. We’re not just encouraged to do it; it’s expected of us by ourselves and those around us as an apparent productivity booster. And, with all the productivity and communication devices that share our lives in this modern information age, it’s seemingly never been easier to multitask.
However, the truth is that it’s all a load of baloney.
I call this ‘The Multitasking Myth’. Sure, you can do lots of different things in quick succession but, in the same way that it’s a physical impossibility to be in two places at once, it’s impossible to be actively engaged in multiple activities which require conscious thought at the same time. Many people are able to combine a physical task and a mental task simultaneously, such as listening to an audiobook while sewing, but combining multiple physical activities or multiple mental activities doesn’t work – we’re simply not wired that way.
Have you ever been typing up a report, answered the phone, and tried to continue with the report? This I’ll guarantee: one or the other will suffer. Either the report will grind to a halt or the quality of the content will swiftly deteriorate, or the person you are speaking with will quickly become aware that they don’t have your undivided attention, and you will miss out on important part of the conversation. Often, both take a proverbial nosedive when you don’t give them due focus. You can only give 100%, and 100% split in two is half a job.
You know how it feels when the ‘shoe is on the other foot’, as it were. Picture the scene. You’re on the phone, and the person you’re speaking with seems like they’re not paying attention. You might even hear the sound of typing in the background. Do you feel annoyed? Does it feel like they’re being rude? At the end of the day, the fact that they’re typing away instead of focusing on your call is effectively sending the message that whatever’s on the screen is more important than you and what you’re discussing.
Switch roles – are you doing this to other people? If you are aware of people doing it to you, you can bet that they are too!
So, what do we do? It’s time to quit assuming we can multitask and, instead, do the exact opposite. This might sound crazy in a world where everyone is trying to do 101 things at once, but try it for a week and see how much more you get done. I promise – it really works!
So, instead of seeing how many things you can do at once, take one task, and apply 100% focus to it.
If you’re writing a report, devote your entire attention to that report. The same goes for email, phone calls, financial projections, everything. Each will get done faster and, even better, you’re much less likely to need to do the work over again. You’ll get more done, but your work will also be of greater quality, and with less repetition. I like to think of this as ‘switchtasking’. Give every task your 100% undivided attention, then switch to the next and do exactly the same. When you’re aware of the act of switching between tasks, you allow yourself the opportunity to amend your focus and give everything your best shot. You also are fully present mentally for the task at hand.
So the next time a task asks for your attention, give it to it!
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth your full focus and, when you switchtask, you are not only productive, but accurate. Stop trying to multitask – your results will thank you for it!
