Is Multitasking Hurting Your Productivity?

Do you wish you were more productive during your day? You will improve your focus, problem-solve more effectively, and get through your to-do list much more quickly if you do this one thing: Stop multitasking.

You may believe in the benefits of multitasking, but studies are showing that the effects of multitasking are predominately negative. If you want to become a faster, more productive worker, let go of these multitasking misconceptions: 

You Accomplish More When Multitasking: Did you multitask today? While you may think you had a productive day, take a second look at your to-do list. Did you accomplish the larger, more challenging items on your list? Or were the activities you completed smaller and perhaps easier to tackle? When you multitask, you in fact make it more difficult for your brain to approach and complete complex jobs! No matter the size of the task, when you switch between activities, you are actually losing time and mental acumen in the moments that you are dividing your attention. You will knock out the more important tasks on your list more effectively if you focus on one, complete it, and move on to your next task.

You Won’t Get Tired Because You Don’t Get Bored: Multitasking actually tires out your brain, whether you realize it or not! Studies have revealed that multitasking leaves a mental residue in your mind, which slows down your processing power when you face your next task. Our brains are simply not wired to switch frequently between activities. 

You Can Get Better with Practice: This is false. Training the brain to multitask can actually lead to bad habits like getting distracted easily, procrastination, and avoidance of larger, less simple tasks. Give each item on your to-do list its own time. Trying to break your multitasking habit? Remove tempting distractions from your workspace. Keep TVs out of sight, and keep social media time to a controlled minimum. Still trying to improve your focus? Your mentor likely has a few tried-and-true focus-forward tips that they can share!

 

Find more ways to practice excellence and achieve more during your day at the Syncis Money Blog.