I will admit, I struggle with focusing on one thing at a time. However, I know that when I do it helps my stress level, my anxiety and my energy.
Multi-tasking used to seem like a positive, but not anymore. It’s become more of a misnomer. Our brains can technically only truly focus on one thing at a time. If we “multi-task” then we are splitting that focus among multiple activities and not giving any one of those activities our full attention.
As you can imagine, each activity suffers in some way.
My biggest struggle is at work. While I’m running a report, I want to quickly reply to an email, check social media or start another report. When I start a project that I need to fully focus on, I easily get distracted by a text message, or a quick chore I need to do at home (I work from home), or by the thought of another task I need to do later so I stop to write it on my to-do list. Then when I get back to my project I have to re-focus my brain. I read recently (in this article) that when you get distracted during a project or task – it can take an average of 23 minutes to get your brain back on track and focused on the project. 23 minutes!
The moral of this story is that multi-tasking is not saving you any time – it’s wasting it. There are also many articles on the bad effects of multitasking on your brain, like this one. However, I must point out that as I was reading that article I noticed how the ads on that page were trying to distract me!
We are bombarded everyday with distractions: A co-worker who wants to talk, an unplanned last minute meeting, urgent emails and requests, phone calls, text messages, social media, alerts and notifications, computer ads, etc.
So how do we (I) get better at single tasking? Here are a few steps I am taking and that may help you as well:
- Clear off your desk. Clearing my desk of any clutter or other projects that I can’t focus on today helps to clear my mind. When I only have one notebook or my planner in front of my computer I can focus so much easier. I don’t have other “to-do’s” sitting next to me distracting my mind and my focus. Starting with a clear desk and clean work area helps your mind stay focused.
- Treat your time like money. I love this concept and I took it from this article. The author, Mike Strum, explains that we cannot use one $20 to buy a $20 pair of pants and a $20 shirt, we have to choose one. However we try to split out time that way when we multitask. For example: If two tasks each need a full hour to complete, then we cannot get both tasks completed in one hour. He also explains that time is actually even more valuable than money because it’s more scarce. We can make more money with raises, promotions and new jobs each year, but we cannot increase the amount of time we are allotted.
- Pick one task to complete. My planner has a space at the top of each day that says “Today’s Focus”. I have recently been trying to put one task in that box that I need to focus on. It can be a project that should not take me more than 4-5 hours, or one part of a bigger project. If I complete nothing else, at least I will have completed this task which I deem to be the most important for the day. It has helped me tremendously so far. When I get distracted by answering urgent emails, or phone calls I try to get back on track as quickly as possible to finish that one task. And once I do it feels really good. I have read many articles and blog posts about creating a Top 3 list for the day or a Top 3 MIT (Most Important Tasks) list, but I find if I focus on only one it works better for me. I don’t have to decide which to do first, I just focus on the one thing. In a week, I will have accomplished 5 big tasks. When I have a list with more than one, I usually keep moving some of the tasks from day-to-day without accomplishing them. Focusing on one per day is much more realistic for me.
- Turn off email notifications. This one was a huge help for me. Turn off that notification that pops up in the bottom right corner of your screen either telling you that you have a new email or showing you the first line. That is SUCH a distraction and if you are like me, you will feel the need to reply to the email once you’ve seen it. The only way I can focus is to turn those notifications off. I have also turned off almost all of the push notifications on my phone. I only keep the ones that are truly important and pertain to my family or myself.
- Eat your frog! Mark Twain once said ““Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” The point is to do the worst thing you have to do first thing in the morning when you have the most energy and focus and most likely the least distractions. My husband and I both work from home and we use this phrase all the time. When I can tell he is very focused on something early in the morning I know he is “eating his frog” and I try to leave him alone. If I put off my one task until after lunch, I am much more likely to not complete it. So not only do I try to stick to one big task a day, but I also try to complete it before lunch!
I hope these tips will help you to also focus on one thing at a time. It will definitely create more peace in your life and you will be less tired, less stressed, less anxious, and feeling much more productive!