We take pride in our multitasking abilities and it has even in the past been considered an achievement. Recent studies however, have shown the contrary to be true, and identifies that this actually reduces your comprehension, attention and overall performance in the tasks being undertaken. Multitasking is the practice of doing or attempting to do multiple things at the same time.
We attend meetings while writing emails and perusing through documents, we attend online meetings while doing other work, we watch a movie while following social media posts on your phone, we pretend to be having quality time with our children while scrolling through our phones, we cook while watching our favorite series, and are lucky if the food does not burn.. The list is endless. Then we’re the first ones to complain that we wish we had time to be present, to play more with the children, to focus on difficult tasks etc.
Question we should ask ourselves is, are you proud of yourself at the end of the meeting / cooking / interaction with kids? Would your output have been any different if you had chosen to only focus on the one thing? Would it have been more enjoyable, either to yourself or the other party or your kids if you focused only on one item at a time?
When you multitask, you might superficially accomplish the tasks at hand, but if you’re true to yourself, you would have done it better if you had focused on one task at a time. Multitasking makes us produce substandard outcomes, and robs us of the joy of being present for each moment, together with the accomplishment that comes with completing the task wholeheartedly.
We’re never really present at any one place, as our minds are always in a different place than where we physically are; you’re in church but you’re busy shopping for the house, you’re in the office but thinking about what’s missing in the house, you’re at home but thinking about the office, and the list goes on. No wonder we live under such immense tension and pressure and are unable to appreciate the moments in life. Breathe a little, pace yourself, be present, after all, there’s usually not much you can do by shifting your mind to a task that’s not currently in front of you, therefore end up draining your energy for nothing.
“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu
I am a culprit of this and have for the longest time struggled to enjoy the moment, living in constant worry and tension. Here are a few nuggets I have used that help me regain my focus. This is not a one-off skill that you learn once and become a pro, but needs to be practiced each time you feel you’re falling behind on the same.
- List down your priorities each day, including non-work-related priorities, including playtime with the children or a conversation with your loved ones.
- Assign a time duration to focus on each task – possibly with a 45-minute break in between if a task takes a long time. You can use a timer for this if necessary. You’ll be surprised at how little focused time of your day it takes to make everyone happy, including your children and spouse. Just intense focus for a number of minutes a day makes all the difference.
- Schedule the tasks on the calendar with a specific focus time for each item and ensure you give them their scheduled time; otherwise, you’ll be making room for procrastination.
- Learn the art of ‘loving the one you are with’ – stop gazing over the shoulder at what other tasks need to be done while you’re already working on the scheduled one
- Close your emails and notifications in your first two hours of your work day – this allows you to focus during your prime hours. Most notifications will distract you from the task at hand, and by the time you get back to it, you’ll need re-orientation to get back to your line of thought.
"Don’t let the sadness of your past and the fear of your future ruin the happiness of your present.” – Unknown
You’ll notice you’re more productive this way and will be able to accomplish more with your day. And yes, those around you who need your attention will be much happier!
