Are you Single Tasking?
Feb. 22nd is Single Tasking Day. I cannot do two things at once. Right now I am writing this blog about single tasking. I’m not doing anything else. When I get interrupted, I forget what I was thinking or doing. And it takes longer to recall “where I was” or what I was thinking about. That’s what happens to most people.
Have you tried getting things done when you are multi-tasking? Does it seem like no task gets finished easily? Multi-tasking keeps you from focusing on what you are doing, and that’s how mistakes happen. It also causes pressure and stress because you are trying to do several things at once and it seems like nothing is getting done. Each of the tasks you are trying to do at the same time is taking longer than if you had been working on just one task.
When you are multi-tasking, you are wasting time because it takes more time to get back into focus on a single task. Plus, you lose the momentum of what you were thinking or doing. The way to celebrate Single Tasking Day is to work on just one task at a time and not multi-task.
Decide to work on your #1 priority and devote your attention to accomplishing that task. If that is a project with more than one task, then break the project into several “single tasks” and work on one at a time. Don’t look at your calendar or at social media nor your email. Solely work on that one task. When you finish it, move on to the next one or take a break in between. Some people like the Pomodoro technique – work on something for 20 to 30 minutes and then take a break. Then start a new task for another 20-30 minute session.
When you focus on one thing at a time, you are single tasking. And you are getting work done faster and smarter. You are not being distracted by other emails, phone calls, text messages, or other people in your office or home. Try it. And notice if you don’t work faster, and better, when you single task!
In fact, instead of doing this just for Single Tasking Day, try to do it every day as much as possible. You are putting everything in its place by working on just one task at a time.