We used to be taught to do as much as you can all at once as fast as you can. Thus multitasking was born and hailed as the most productive way to be efficient. Now, however, studies have shown that multitasking is actually bad for you and does the opposite of making you productive. Instead, it slows down your thinking and makes you feel nervous and overwhelmed.
The reason multitasking does not work well is that you are not really doing multiple tasks at the same time but quickly switching between tasks. Therefore your brain does not get to fully focus on one singular thing and get into the zone of productivity and efficiency.
It takes twice as long to complete a task when multitasking, and you make more mistakes because your focus is split. The constant pressure of switching between tasks and trying to rush through each causes stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed.
Multitasking also dampens creativity and contributes to poor memory. So instead of multitasking, a better way would be to:
- Plan to do only five things in a day.
- If you do not complete any of them, don’t stress yourself out, simply move it to the next day.
- Work on only one task at a time until it is complete. Then move onto the next one.
- If possible, turn off phone ringers and close your email program while you work. You can turn them back on after your task is done.
- Fully immerse yourself in your task and use focus to get into the zone and allow your creativity to really flow.
If you change your multitasking habits, you may find that within a very short time, you feel more refreshed, and more efficient using your time wisely every day.
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