Our ability to focus on different things is one of the key strengths of our amazingly incredible minds. It’s a skill we certainly would never want to lose. However, studies show that we pay a price when we multitask! Since the depth of our attention rules the intensity of our thinking and memory, multitasking can diminish our ability to comprehend and learn. While we surely do more when we multitask, we often learn less.
Like it or not, multitasking has become de facto for professionals. Running between checking emails, attending meetings or finishing chores, people are more engrossed with information and disruptions than ever before. Although you are appraised for being a multitasker at your workplace, this can deeply affect your mental wellbeing by causing stress. It’s a misconception that juggling several tasks at the same time can save your energy and time. In reality, it can prevent you from devoting the much needed concentration for every project, making you more prone to mistakes because you are too busy managing everything at once.
Accept it! You have only 100% of your attention to offer and if you divide it up, something has to suffer. So take a step back and start managing your life and work by quitting multitasking and switching to ‘Unitasking’ instead. This can ease stress, help you with setting priorities and prove to be overall more effective
So how do you retrain yourself to become more efficient as a unitasker? Let’s take a look:
The myth about Multitasking:
In our fast paced lives, we often take immense pride in our “ability” to multitask. Checking e-mails, attending meetings, talking calls and talking to colleagues all at the same time. Amazing, isn’t it? Well…No, it’s neither extraordinary nor impressive. Sadly this is the myth of multitasking. That’s because we aren’t really multitasking. We might think we are doing lots of things at the same time, but in actuality we are switching our attention from one job to another very quickly which can lead to lower energy levels and more stress. Multitasking might speed us through our to-do lists, but it can decrease our ability to retain and process information. Because when we multitask, our brain shifts back and forth quickly between various tasks, but, because our brain cannot process different thoughts instantaneously, this reduces our performance and saps more energy.
Unitasking, the new way:
Unitasking is actually a kind of mediation and is the art of being present with what you are doing at a particular moment. It is the spirit of working better, smarter and less! And guess what? You’ll be stunned at the results!
In reality, we can teach ourselves to Unitask. In fact, if we are under a deadline, we are possibly Unitasking even without realizing it. We block everything else out to get the job done on time. Unitasking is a complex notion for most of us, habituated as we are to doing multiple things at a given time, and it entails a little of mind retraining. But here’s we can do it at our workplaces.
Declutter your space:
An uncluttered desk – an uncluttered mind! If your desk is untidy with a lot of paperwork, folders or reminder notes, you might be tempted to shift your attention to a different task. Particularly if you are doing something you don’t really like it’s more enticing to pick up something else to work on.
Carve out slots to work:
While working, concentrate on only one task at a time and do away with all the distractions around. Know when you are at your sharpest, and do the deeper thinking during those times. Prioritize your chores once or twice daily, and then channelize your energy to achieve them. Avoid checking your emails continuously throughout the day as this can cause major distraction. Instead, check your emails every hour or schedule a time —whatever you require— to check and reply to emails.
Stop when you start multitasking:
If you find yourself checking your emails or taking a call just for the diversion, defy the urge, take a deep breath and drive your focus back on the job at hand. You might even start multitasking without even realizing that you are doing it. It’s after all a tough habit to do away with! Just admit that you are doing it and then get yourself back on track.
Take a breather:
If you feel worn-out, take a quick break to reboot. Maybe a walk, a quick coffee break or a simple stretch. Do whatever works for you and helps you revive! It’s significant to clear your mind when you have numerous responsibilities. If you avoid taking this break, chances are you might feel weighed down and more compelled to multitask to finish the urgent tasks that are there.
The key to Unitasking is being attentive of precisely what we are doing at a given point and give it your 100% focus. If something else pops up in your head, acknowledge it but then get back your focus. Even if your mind meanders, get it back. Unitask! It’s the key to determined productivity. Switching from a Multitasker to a Unitasker might require time as it cannot be done overnight. So take baby steps until you are fully comfortable with the alteration.
