The Myth of Multitasking
Is multitasking the enemy of efficiency?
When it comes to myth busting, this is one of my favourite ones to squash. I want to challenge the received wisdom on the value of multitasking - its not a short cut to productivity, its the the enemy of efficiency.
Many of us are taught that in order to manage a heavy workload we need to become the admin equivalent of world-class plate-spinners. We’ve all been there: performing mental gymnastics as we frantically juggle a jumble of tasks only to lose the thread (or our minds!) and for it all to unravel.
As a strategy, rapid task switching is a high-stress and high-risk way to work. It is also probably achieving exactly the opposite of what you want. If your objective is to move through your to-do list efficiently and accurately whilst maintaining consistently high standards, multitasking is unlikely to be the best way to get it done.
The research tells us that task switching can be detrimental to our productivity and to the quality of our work. Instead, short bursts of concentrated, focused work can produce far better results. So when multitasking lets you down, give single-tasking a try.
Try following these steps to see if single-tasking suits you.
Prioritise
When reviewing your to-do list, be honest with yourself about which tasks need your urgent attention, which are fairly pressing but not life-or-death, and which ones can be parked for now.
Plan
Gather together any equipment, tech or information that you need for the task before you start work. Think carefully about what you can achieve in the time you have available (be it 3 minutes or 3 months!) and set a realistic target for what you’d like to have ticked off when that time is up.
Focus
Minimise distractions so you can stay on task.
Reflect
Enjoy seeing your to-do list shrink, then take a moment to consider whether the tools and techniques you chose were the best ones for the job. Do you need to make different decisions or introduce some adjustments for next time?
TOP TIP: Take care not to confuse being busy with being productive. You may be working flat out, but are you really delivering your best work?
Outsource tasks that are cluttering up your to-do list to stay focused on your priorities and do what you do best. Contact me to discuss how I can help.
