The Myth of Multitasking

Every time I see a resume that lists multi-tasking as a skill I want to throw that resume in the trash.  Just being honest here.  In case you are concerned, I don't actually throw it in the trash because  basically everyone puts this on their resume.

Our society has glorified multitasking. It is a thing that people genuinely think is good and that is why they put it on their resume.  However, study after study has shown that humans actually cannot multitask and when they try to, they are really not giving their best work to either of the things they are trying to do.  Have you ever been talking and writing at the same time and you start to write what you are saying or vice versa?  Have you even been “watching TV” and checking your email at the same time and end up having to rewind the TV because you missed something?  According to an article by the University of Southern California, “…multitasking causes us to: make more mistakes, retain less information, and change the way our brain works.”

Multitasking is actually jumping back and forth between two things at one time because our brain is simply not capable of doing two things at one time.  This means when we are trying to do two things at once our brain is literally jumping back and forth from task to task.  This is not productive.  So while most of the world believes that multitasking is the best way to get things done, I am here to burst your bubble!  Sure I can drive down the road and listen to a book or a podcast as long as everything is humming along normally – because my brain is able to drive using some muscle memory so it is not actively thinking while driving.  However, the second I encounter an obstacle along my drive, my brain immediately switches to handling that situation and I am completely tuning out whatever is playing through the speakers.  And if we get really technical, I am not fully able to absorb all the information I am hearing while driving because my primary job at that moment is driving!

The other thing about multitasking is that you are losing time every time you switch between tasks.  This is because it takes time for your brain to adjust to what you are doing.  So, yes, every time you get an interruption of someone knocking on your office door your brain is STOPPING the activity you are working on to focus on the person at your door.  Then you have to transition to their need.  Once that is done you have to transition back to the task at hand or you may even get distracted by something else.  Every time we see a notification on our phone or an email pop up on the computer our brains are taking time to process the new information and taking time to bounce back and forth between tasks. The American Psychological Association wrote in an article “...that even brief mental blocks created by shifting between tasks can cost as much as 40 percent of someone's productive time.”  40%!!!  WOW. 

Given this information, what do we put on our resumes?  How do we actually achieve productivity?  What people really mean when they say “multitask” is prioritize, or at least I hope that is what they mean and I hope that I can help you make the switch from multitasking to being a productivity pro.  I like to say that I have the ability to prioritize multiple tasks or projects.  This is the best way to achieve a lot in a little time.  In my last blog post I wrote about staying organized with a calendar and that by scheduling my priorities I can run circles around people who are “multitasking.”  A calendar is one way that I do this, but the foundation of that practice is that I am staying focused on one priority at a time and I have scheduled them in order of importance.

Please hear me: I am not perfect at this!  I still get distracted.  I still am bouncing between tasks when I should stay focused.  The world we live in now is a very distracting one – perfection is never the goal.  The goal is to be better every day.  Let’s continue to implement tips and tricks that help us to be more productive human beings.  You will be amazed at how much time you have when you do this!!  So here are my top tips for being a productive human being!

1. Well, I already gave this one away – a calendar.  I am going to link to my last blog post so you can get all the calendar tips and read about all my various calendars for organization.  For the purpose of work however, I will tell you that I block out time on my calendar for my priority tasks.  I avoid the dreaded “to-do” list that never ends.  The reason it never ends is because you aren’t scheduling the time for those things to be done!  The calendar is my guide.  It tells me what is most important this week and when I will be tackling that item.  This helps not only with avoiding the multitasking trap but also the procrastination trap.
2. Each week assess your priorities.  What needs to get done this week?  What is most important and what is least important?  What do you have control over and what are you waiting on others for?  What needs follow up?  Once you have done that assessment, you will have a list of priority tasks.  Now, take those priority tasks and schedule them.
3. Turn off notifications.  I do not have pop ups on my computer to tell me I have a new email.  My phone is silenced when I am working with a few exceptions that I let ring through (husband and parents – that’s it!).  I do not have the little red dots on my phone that tell me I have notifications on IG or Facebook and I do not have any notifications enabled on my phone other than calls or texts.  So even when I am not working I don’t have the distraction of my phone telling me I have something to look at.
4. Communicate with other people what your plan is.  Sometimes you have to tell people “these are my priorities this week and this is when I will be available.”  Don’t be afraid to be up front with people about what you are realistically able to accomplish.  When someone asks me to do something, I almost always ask them when they need it by and what level of priority it is.  Even if it is your boss it is okay to ask these questions.  You can even say “I am currently working on XYZ, should this new task come before or after XYZ?”  Your boss is not likely paying close enough attention to what you are doing to know that when they ask for something else it means you need to shuffle priorities.  They have their own job to do, that is why they hired you.  So don’t shy away from communicating with your team about what you are doing and when you are or are not available.
5. Plan the most difficult tasks in the morning and plan your meetings for the afternoon.  Another fun fact about the brain – for most of us it is the sharpest in the morning (after coffee, of course!).  As we go on in our day and it is barraged with constant stimuli from the environment, it gets tired.  It is easier to have a conversation with someone in the afternoon than to be cranking out a special project.  Plus, we tend to want to put off things that we think will be hard or we don’t want to do, so tackling them earlier in the day can help to just get it done!  Just a little caveat here - you know yourself best so if you truly are sharper in the afternoon, schedule your priority tasks during that time. 
6. Take breaks!  Your brain needs a break.  We have input in our brain from the moment we wake up til the moment we hit the hay.  Don’t be afraid to take 5 minutes to walk away from something you are doing and come back refreshed.  Sometimes it is even helpful to just close your eyes and breath for a few minutes.  Moving your body whether it is a short walk, air squats, jumping jacks – whatever – is a great way to rejuvenate your body and brain!  60 to 90 minute sessions are the most productive with short breaks in between.
7. Actually schedule time for your email!  Email can consume our lives if we let it.  I always tell my team to actually schedule the time that you will be reviewing your email.  It can be a black hold just like social media – sucking you in to never see the light of day again!  When you schedule it, it allows your brain to know that it will still be there at your scheduled time so it can stay focused on the task at hand.  And by having it scheduled it also gives you an end time so you don’t just start doing email and never get anything else accomplished!

 The moral of the story is simple - our brains can only do one thing at one time!  Keeping a sharp focus on your priority tasks is going to keep you ahead of the curve.  Instead of being the person who never seems to accomplish anything, be the person that seems to accomplish more than seems possible!  You can do this by following the steps outlined in this post and avoid multitasking whenever possible.  Go get it!!