I sit here writing this blog as the kettle is boiling, out of control. I am about to have some tea but decided to make tea and write this blog at once. I can barely focus as the kettle whistles. The water will be too hot for some time after the tea has been made to consume. Would I have been better of making the tea in isolation before sitting to draft a blog? Probably so.
I have been actually thinking and reading a lot about multitasking as of late. ( I have just changed focus now to turn the kettle off and I have lost my train of thought). Turns out that multitasking is not a real thing. True multitasking: ie. doing more than one task at the same time, is a myth. Those people who think they can split their attention between multiple tasks at once aren’t actually getting more done. In fact, they’re doing less, getting more stressed out, and performing worse than those who single-task.
A 2009 Stanford Study found that multitasking is less productive than doing a single thing at a time. It also found that people who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information cannot pay attention, recall information, or switch from one job to another as well as those who complete one task at a time. But what if some people claim to have a special gift for multitasking? The same study went on to compare groups of people based on their tendency to multitask and their belief that it helps their performance. They found that those who multitask a lot and feel that it boosts their performance were actually worse at multitasking than those who like to do a single thing at a time. The frequent multitaskers performed worse because they had more trouble organizing their thoughts and filtering out irrelevant information; and they were slower at switching from one task to another.
Many other studies have found that excessive multitasking has severe consequences on our mental and physical well-being. For instance:
- Negatively impacts your short term memory
- Leads to increased anxiety through overstimulating the brain
- Inhibits creativity
- Stops a person from getting into the laser focused state of flow when most effective work happens
- Causes more mistakes and less productivity
What is the answer then? (Tea still not made now kettle likely cold and I must reboil. Uggh!). I think the answer is that we must resort to single-tasking. If you want to get tasks done at a higher quality and in less time, it pays dividends to focus on one at a time. Here’s why:
- Single-tasking means less stress. Usually trying to multitask leaves a person exhausted and behind on work. Do one thing at a time and you are more likely to get into a state of flow, actually finish what you wanted to, and in turn, lower your stress levels.
- Single-tasking makes you focus on what you should do (not what you could do at any given moment). It helps you prioritize your most important work and dedicate a high-level of focus to this.
- Doing one thing at a time can improve creativity. With all attention on the one thing, you produce a better product.
The easiest way to reduce multitasking is to set up your day and your work environment for single-tasking and focus. This means removing all the triggers and distractions that pull at your attention (eg. smartphone, email windows, other devices, vicinity to kitchen etc) when you’re trying to get through a task.
Here are 4 techniques that may help to get you started and realize the benefits of improved work flow, creativity and higher levels of daily satisfaction.
- Create a daily schedule with dedicated time for focused work. This would be your priority guide for the day. Schedule your non-negotiable tasks in 20-90 minute blocks. Ultimately you grow your ability to focus without distraction.
- Limit your email time and work in 10- 15 minute blocks, but not other times or while doing another task. One of the biggest contributors to multitasking is your email. Virtual interaction time infiltrates much of what we do. It can feel productive and we may not even really think of it as multitasking. It is! Close the email, put the device on airplane during other tasks. Given something the attention it deserves.
- Alternate between periods of focus and breaks. Breaks keep your energy levels high and focus on single-tasking, you need to have time to refocus and re-energize. Regular breaks also help clear out the attention residue left over from your previous task. You might consider 50 minutes of work for a 10 minute break. Stretch your legs, get a snack, have a mindful moment of breathing and clearing your mind. (Do not use your break to engage the brain in other tasks like emails, social media etc… essentially this is multitasking on the sly and it will take you longer to get back to the task at hand. Up to 20 minutes studies show!).
- Optimize your work environment for productivity and focus. Your work environment can pull at your attention as can a notification. Remove the digital and physical clutter. Put your phone or watch (f it receives notifications) in another room or on airplane mode. Clear away items or spaces that might pull you towards them. Don’t give yourself a reason to be distracted.
These ideas will not guarantee you to be free and clear of multitasking. Like any new habit, it will likely take some practice. Start with small goals and keep building your dedicated focused sessions so that there is more time for heads down work. Continue to be aware of distractions and ways to block and prevent as you go.
You may as well surrender your multitasking ways. You cannot complete two tasks at once. For the most part you are doing each task worse and you use more time. Figure out what MUST get done. Block time and space. Feel better about doing the key things well.
No need to wait. Get started today. Let me know how it goes. Feedback is always invited: michelle@crossfitdefy.com
In case you were wondering, I did get my tea. I took a snack break and came back with the right amount of focus to edit and finish this article. Thank-You for reading:)
Dr. Michelle