Multitasking

In our fast paced world we are bombarded with things to do. Our culture preaches to us to grind and do more. And when we look at other peoples social media feeds it can make us feel like we are falling behind. We are pushed and pulled in multiple directions and wind up feeling like we are “ beneath the wheel.” Does this mean that multitasking is a super power?

Multi tasking is something we can feel compelled to do especially as business owner. Add in family responsibilities and we have a recipe for overwhelm. Let’s take a look at some problems with multitasking.

First,lack of focus. Let’s say you are writing a blog or a report of some sort and you have your notifications turned on so you can answer any important emails that come in . Also , maybe you have a text thread going on with a family member. At this point your brain is being pulled in three different directions and it becomes very difficult to focus on the writing . Trust me I am writing this and have to turn my phone to silent and block out other stimulus. The quality of our work will suffer for not being focused . Secondly, our brains were not actually built to multitask . A study at the university of London showed that while people multitask they show a drop in IQ while performing cognitive functions, similar to those who smoke pot or lack sleep. Another issue is stress. By trying to do too many things at once our stress levels go up. No one needs that. These are just three of many negative effects that multitasking can present to us. In the interest of brevity I will leave it there.

What strategies can we employ to help cope with the multiplicity of stimuli thrown at us daily? As a young worker I once had and older person say to me ,”sometimes you have to line your problems up single file and deal with them one at a time!” I think my friend was onto something. That in and of itself works as a technique.another thing we can do is schedule times and set limits. For example; set a specific times during the day to check your email rather that having a steady stream coming at you through the day. Also, set time limits for things like social media. It is very easy to get lost in the scroll of instagram . So set time limits. You can actually set a timer. Be aware of how much time you spend. Prioritize and execute your task list and be disciplined in knocking it out. Group similar tasks together . A strategy that has really helped me is turning off my notifications on my phone and checking it when I want rather than answering each one as it comes in.

In closing , please remember that like many things this is a skill. It takes discipline to stick to these strategies but we get better with practice. If you get knocked off track just get back on and keep moving forward. Keep in mind some people will try to overstep the boundaries you’ve set . You must teach people how you are to be treated. Stay on task.