Gone are the days of joking over whether a person can walk and
chew gum at the same time. The real test of a good employee in
today's job market is their ability to send email while on a
conference call - all in the midst of typing up that new client
contract.
Multitasking is fast becoming as essential of a skill on a
resume as our ability to work productively. But can the two of
these truly coexist at the same time?
Research says no. In fact,
past studies on dual- and multi-tasking performance indicate
that it actually takes more time for us to complete two or more
tasks simultaneously when compared to these tasks being performed
independently: "The average US company loses 2.1 hours of employee
productivity per day as a result of work interruptions and
multitasking behavior."
This statistic is primarily a result of the fact that it takes
an individual an average
of 10 to 20 times the length of the original interruption to
return to their task - if they return to it at all.
You may think that with a little time and practice, multitasking
gets easier. In reality,
the more you jump between tabs on your web browser, the worse off
you are.
Fortunately, there is a cure for multitasking: Don't do it.
Easier said than done, we know, which is why we've provided
these five strategies to put you on the right path.
- Prioritize your tasks. This is an essential
first step in being more productive. Write down your to-do list and
prioritize each task into three categories: "must dos," "should
dos" and "could do later." Aim to work in order and get through at
least the first two categories by the end of the day. Move the
remaining tasks up on your list for tomorrow.
- Focus on one piece of technology. Whether it's
your phone, your computer or that everlasting invention called
paper and pencil, choose your one form of technology and shut
everything else down. No interruptions allowed!
- Then, narrow it down further. Don't be texting
while talking on the phone, or emailing while drafting an important
document on the computer. Focus on one program, one task within
your chosen technology, and don't let anything else distract you
from it.
- But what if you need to use two? Thanks to the
plethora of information being passed around online, we often need
an open web page or email in order to work on that important
document. If that is the case, only have open that single web page
or email you need to work productively. Keep the Facebook tab or
favorite news site closed down.
- See it through from start to finish. Your goal
should be to be able to fully check off the task on that to-do
list. Don't stop until it's completed to your satisfaction.
The prospect of implementing all these strategies can be
daunting at first. Challenge yourself to try them out for at least
one week. We're willing to bet you'll see an immediate
difference.
What are your strategies for multitasking - avoid it or
embrace it?